BYD’s Yangwang sets EV top-speed record

Yangwang, BYD’s high-end sub-brand, has set a new global electric vehicle (EV) top-speed record of 472.41 km/h (around 293 mph) at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany.

The feat was achieved with Yangwang’s latest U9 Track Edition supercar, making it the world’s fastest EV.

Behind the wheel was German professional driver Marc Basseng, who also set the previous global EV speed record of 391 km/h in 2024.

The Yangwang U9 Track Edition is built upon the same e4 Platform and DiSus-X core technical architecture as the Yangwang U9 currently on sale in China. On top of this, it features the world’s first mass-produced 1,200V ultra-high-voltage vehicle platform, paired with a thermal-management system optimised for extreme conditions.

The Yangwang U9 Track Edition’s e4 Platform — the world’s first quad-motor system to feature 30,000rpm high-performance motors — delivers peak power of 555kW per motor, with a combined system output of almost 3,000 hp.

This gives the vehicle a power-to-weight ratio of 1,200 hp per tonne.

Beyond this, the e4 Platform’s quad-motor independent torque-vectoring system continuously monitors road feedback, adjusting each wheel’s torque at an ultra-high frequency that exceeds 100 times per second. Even at high speeds, it maintains absolute control over body posture, ensuring no wheel slip or loss of traction.

The record was achieved using a set of specially developed track-focused semi-slick tyres from Giti Tire, who entered collaboration with Yangwang.