BYD's Yangwang U9 Xtreme is the first production car to go past 500 km/h

BYD's ultra-premium Yangwang brand has been chasing ever-higher top speeds with its U9 Xtreme, which already hit 308.34 mph at Germany's ATP Papenburg proving ground in September 2025. Today, the FIA says the limited-run EV reached 312.65 mph on November 1 during a high-speed run in Abu Dhabi - making it the first production car past the 311 mph mark, according to the federation.

German racer Marc Basseng was behind the wheel on a closed stretch of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region. After peaking at 304 mph on October 31, engineers tweaked the aerodynamics, suspension, and tire pressures overnight, and the second run the next day delivered the 312.65 mph figure. Guinness World Records also logged it as the highest single-direction speed for a production car and for an electric production car.

This follows earlier milestones for the program, including a 293.54 mph run in August 2025 and a 6:59.157 Nürburgring Nordschleife lap that made it the first production EV under seven minutes there.

The U9 Xtreme is limited to 30 units worldwide and is powered by four electric motors with a combined output of more than 3,000 PS on a 1,200V architecture, plus specialized high-speed tires developed with Giti Tire.