Overview
- BYD has confirmed a November return to the ATP Papenburg proving grounds to try to push the Yangwang U9 Xtreme past the 500 km/h (311 mph) barrier.
- In the prior one-way run the car reached 496.22 km/h and test driver Marc Basseng lifted off after the car began to drift, with BYD saying roughly 1.5 more seconds at full throttle could have cleared 500 km/h.
- The U9 Xtreme is built on a 1,200-volt electrical architecture with four motors producing about 2,978 hp, and BYD plans a limited global run of 30 units.
- Official production-car speed records are certified as two-way averaged runs, so BYD's one-way 496.22 km/h result does not replace the SSC Tuatara's verified two-way record and BYD will need a suitable two-way venue or validation process to claim an official record.
- Beyond the straight-line attempt, the car already set a sub-seven-minute Nürburgring EV lap and BYD's November plan will test aerodynamic and stability fixes, safety margins for drivers and track crews, and how a verified record could raise the brand's global performance profile.