- A Chinese EV is now the fastest production car in the world.
- The YangWang U9 Extreme broke the 300 mph barrier earlier this month and dethroned the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+.
- Just 30 units of the face-melting electric hypercar will be made.
The YangWang U9 Extreme is officially the world’s fastest production car, setting a new record earlier this month at ATP’s high-speed oval in Germany.
The two-door electric car made by China’s BYD hit an astonishing 308.4 miles per hour (496.22 kilometers per hour), dethroning the long-standing record set by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019, when it reached 304.7 mph (490.5 kph). The U9 Extreme is also the first production EV to go over 300 mph.
This isn’t the quad motor machine’s first attempt at breaking the elusive 300 mph barrier, though. Last month, the car that was previously known as the YangWang U9 Track Edition became the world’s fastest battery-powered vehicle after hitting 293.54 mph (472.41 kph) on the same high-speed oval in Germany. That run put it ahead of the mighty impressive Rimac Nevera, but BYD’s sub-brand wasn’t quite ready to call it quits.
What’s more, the same YangWang U9 Extreme set a sub-7-minute lap time at the infamous Nurburgring track, snatching the production EV record from Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra. It’s also worth noting that the U9’s recent top speed run was extremely close to yet another psychological barrier–500 kph, or 310.6 mph. Whether or not BYD is planning on snatching that title is anyone’s guess, though.
What we do know, however, is that the YangWang U9 Extreme will be a rare breed. Just like the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ before it, just 30 units will be made. Based on the run-of-the-mill U9, the Extreme turns things up to eleven with a 1,200-volt quad-motor setup that’s good for 2,977 horsepower (2,220 kilowatts), and a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that can discharge at a rate of 30C. A fancy adaptive suspension system that can make the car jump over bumps is also part of the package, as well as a torque vectoring system that can tweak the power distribution over 100 times per second for each motor.
Slowing down is handled by a set of titanium calipers and carbon-ceramic rotors, working in conjunction with a set of GitiSport e-GTR2 Pro semi-slick tires, specifically developed for speeds of up to 310.6 mph.
We’ve been saying for quite some time that Chinese EVs are now leading the way, and this latest achievement cements that statement. Like it or not, the days of dodgy copycats are long gone, with American and European carmakers now playing a game of catch-up with companies like BYD, trying to regain lost ground.
