BYD prepares a new record: 500 km/h on the horizon
Almost a year has passed since BYD achieved a speed of 496.22 km/h (308.4 mph) in its limited edition Yangwang U9 Xtreme, setting a one-way speed record for a production car. The Chinese automaker does not intend to stop there. Now the company plans the next step — to break the 500 km/h (311 mph) barrier.
As part of BYD’s expansion in the UK, particularly the launch of the Denza brand, the company had a large exhibition at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed. BYD Vice President Stella Li was present at the event and revealed the brand’s plans to attempt to beat its own record in November.
Return to the track in Papenburg
During a conversation with BYD Brand and PR Manager Li Yunfei, Stella Li noted that BYD will return to the Automotive Testing Papenburg proving ground in Germany, where the record was set last year. Analysis of that run showed that test driver Marc Basseng had enough room on the straight to keep the throttle pressed for an additional 1.5 seconds. This would have allowed exceeding the 311 mph mark, which companies like Koenigsegg and Hennessey have talked about for years but have yet to surpass.
Reviewing that run, it becomes obvious that the car had potential for more. When the hypercar quickly reached 490 km/h (305 mph), it began to drift from the center lane to the left, forcing Basseng to lift off the throttle to avoid issues. With minor aerodynamic refinements, BYD will be able to ensure the car’s stability at speeds no other production car has achieved.
How is such speed achieved?
At the heart of the Yangwang U9 Xtreme lies a 1200-volt electrical architecture and four electric motors that produce an incredible 2978 horsepower. Global production of the model is limited to just 30 units.
Although the U9 Xtreme surpassed the one-way speed record of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, set in 2019 (490.48 km/h), the official two-way record still belongs to the SSC Tuatara — 455.3 km/h (282.9 mph). If BYD wants to take it, the company will need to find a place where a run in both directions can be made.
BYD’s new record could be not just another achievement, but a true breakthrough that will finally cement electric hypercars’ status as the fastest in the world. Surpassing the 500 km/h mark would be not only a technical triumph but also a powerful marketing move that would force traditional manufacturers like Bugatti or Koenigsegg to rethink their strategies. At the same time, the limited production run of 30 units makes this model not just a record holder but an exclusive piece of engineering, underscoring BYD’s ambitions to compete in the highest echelon of the automotive industry.