Speed has always been the ultimate measure of automotive greatness, an expression of engineering bravado. On a crisp day at Germany’s ATP Papenburg high-speed oval, BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme smashed the record, hitting 308.4 miles per hour to become the world’s fastest production car.
Four electric motors produce 2,978 horsepower, which feels like science fiction rather than road legal. Each motor spins at a max of 30,000 RPM and is made of super thin 0.1mm silicon steel, a first in mass production. This means power with surgical precision, pushing the U9 Xtreme into new territory. Unlike its predecessor, the regular U9 which already had 1,288 horsepower, this beast runs on a 1,200-volt platform – a big jump from the 800-volt system of most high-end electric cars. Higher voltage means faster energy delivery, so the car can reach its full capacity without breaking a sweat.
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BYD’s Blade Battery has been redesigned for the Xtreme and has 170% denser cells than its 800-volt equivalent. This means discharge rates of up to 30 degrees Celsius, 10 times faster than a conventional electric car battery. Keeping such high power output without overheating is no easy task and BYD’s solution reduces heat generation by up to 67% compared to normal systems. It’s a delicate balance of raw power and thermal finesse that allows the car to not only sprint but also maintain triple digit speeds.
Tires, often the unsung heroes, take the brunt of this velocity. To reduce rotational mass, the U9 Xtreme has 20-inch wheels, smaller than the 21-inch wheels of the original U9. Up front, bigger 325mm tires match the rears for balanced grip, which is crucial when you’re going over 300 mph. The car’s weight, only 5kg more than the regular U9 at 2,480kg, shows BYD’s obsessive engineering.Marc Basseng, the German racing driver behind the wheel, deserves his own spotlight. With nerves of steel honed in high-stakes motorsport, he took the U9 Xtreme to a record breaking run and joined an exclusive club of drivers who have gone over 300 mph. Basseng’s previous record in the regular U9 was 233 mph, which looks like a mere warm up compared to this achievement. His talent turned raw power into a controlled, record breaking performance and cemented his place in automotive history.
Only 30 of these cars will ever exist, each a rare gem with a price tag likely to be well north of the standard U9’s $200,000. Exclusivity is part of the appeal but it’s the engineering that steals the show. Just weeks ago the U9 Xtreme set the electric production car record at 293.54 mph. Now it’s not just the fastest electric car, it’s the fastest production car, period, dethroning the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+’s 304.8 mph from 2019 and leaving competitors like the Aspark Owl (272.6 mph) and Rimac Nevera R (268.2 mph) in the dust.
