The automotive world has a new speed king. The Yangwang U9 Xtreme, the hardcore evolution of BYD’s already extreme electric hypercar, has set a blistering new record as the fastest production car on the planet. Clocking 308.4mph at the ATP Papenburg high-speed oval in Germany, the U9 Xtreme has dethroned the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible for a road-legal machine.
The record run was once again piloted by German racing veteran Marc Basseng, who previously tested the standard U9 to over 230mph. With nerves of steel and a machine built to defy limits, Basseng has now joined the very exclusive 300mph club.
Crushing the Competition
Until now, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ held the top spot with its 304.8mph run in 2019. Electric hypercars like the Aspark Owl (272.6mph) and Rimac Nevera (268.2mph) had impressed, but none came close to Bugatti’s achievement. The Yangwang U9 Xtreme didn’t just edge past—it obliterated the field, clearing Bugatti’s record by nearly 4mph and leaving its electric rivals in the dust.
Power Beyond Imagination
So, what makes the U9 Xtreme so devastatingly quick? The headline figure is its staggering 2,978bhp output—more than double the standard U9’s 1,288bhp. This power comes from four cutting-edge electric motors, each capable of spinning up to 30,000rpm.
The car also debuts a world-first 1,200V ultra-high voltage platform, surpassing the already advanced 800V systems seen in top-tier EVs. This allows lightning-fast power delivery, reduced heat generation—up to 67 percent lower than an 800V setup—and the ability to sustain incredible current flows without compromising safety.
BYD’s Blade Battery technology further enhances the package. With a 170 percent increase in cell density and discharge rates of up to 30C (ten times that of a conventional EV battery), the U9 Xtreme can maintain high-speed runs without thermal runaway or catastrophic failure.
Built to Handle the Pressure
At such extraordinary speeds, the car’s physical setup becomes just as critical as its electronics. Engineers have fitted smaller 20-inch wheels, shod with massive 325mm tyres both front and rear, ensuring the grip needed to keep 2,480kg of hypercar planted on the track. That weight is only marginally higher than the standard U9, despite the colossal jump in performance.
Aerodynamics and chassis tuning have also been revised for high-speed stability, giving Basseng the confidence to push well beyond the limits where most road cars would disintegrate.
Exclusivity and the Future
Yangwang will produce just 30 units of the U9 Xtreme worldwide. While the regular U9 starts around £200,000, the Xtreme is expected to carry a far heftier price tag—though for the few who secure one, it comes with bragging rights no other production car owner can claim.
The record also raises a new question: how long before the U9 Xtreme challenges the Buckeye Bullet 3’s 341.2mph electric land speed record? If BYD and Basseng have anything to say about it, the story of this hypercar is just getting started.
