A sleek red Yangwang U9 Track Edition ripped across the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany on August 8, 2025, hitting 472.41 km/h (293.54 mph). BYD’s ultra-luxury sub-brand Yangwang has dethroned the Rimac Nevera R, becoming the world’s fastest electric vehicle.
The U9 Track Edition is powered by four electric motors, each producing 744 horsepower (555 kilowatt). That’s a total of over 2,960 horsepower, or 3,000 horsepower according to some claims. That’s 1,200 hp per tonne, beating the Rimac Nevera R’s 1,989 hp and 978 hp per tonne. Marc Basseng, who also drove the Nevera R to its previous record of 431.45 km/h (268.2 mph) in July 2025, credits the U9’s engineering for this jump. Every component, from the engines to the chassis, was fine-tuned for one purpose: speed.
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You can’t just use brute force to control so much power, which is why the U9 Track Edition is based on BYD’s e4 Platform, sporting a quad-motor system with the motors running at 30,000 rpm. This allows for precise torque vectoring, so each wheel gets the right amount of power at the right time. The DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System dynamically changes the suspension to maximise track grip. Add to that the world’s first mass-produced 1200-volt ultra-high-voltage platform and a thermal management system designed for extreme conditions and you have a car that not only accelerates but dominates.
Aerodynamics played a big role in the record-breaking run, with a revised carbon fiber front splitter and duct tape sealing panel gaps to reduce drag. It didn’t have the swan-neck rear wing of the regular model to prioritize smooth airflow. The car was fitted with modified semi-slick tires designed with Giti Tire, with a special compound and tread pattern. A high-viscosity lubricant and knurling treatment between the tire and rim reduced slippage, so every ounce of force reached the road.
Yangwang’s journey to this record started quietly, with the regular U9, which was released in February 2024, reaching 375.12 km/h (233 mph) in August 2024 and 391.94 km/h (244 mph) two months later. Those were good runs, but the Track Edition’s 472.41 km/h (293.54 mph) blew them away. For context, that’s faster than China’s high-speed rail which tops out at 350 km/h (217 mph). The U9 is not a cheap car, with a starting price of RMB 1.68 million ($234,630), but the engineering is worth it.
Marc Basseng has driven both the standard U9 and the Track Edition to their respective records and has seen the car evolve firsthand. “I thought I was done last year,” he said after the August run. “I never thought I’d break my own record so soon.” His experience shows the pace of innovation at Yangwang. The Track Edition, revealed in August 2025 through China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, doubles the power of each motor compared to the standard model’s 240 kW units.
