BYD could crack 500km/h barrier with next top speed attempt
After hitting an unverified 496.22km/h to become the unofficial fastest car in the world, BYD could send the Yangwang U9 Xtreme back out to exceed 500km/h.
In September, BYD’s Yangwang brand took the unofficial record for building the world’s fastest production car with the 496.22km/h U9 Xtreme.
Set at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg in Germany, driver Marc Basseng broke the existing 490.48km/h record (held by the Bugatti Chiron) to enter headlines and take the crown, though he came agonisingly close to breaking the 500km/h barrier.
The car drifted slightly to the left at more than 480km/h, coming close to the barriers before Basseng backed out of the throttle at the 496.22km/h peak.
As reported by Carscoops, BYD is set to return to the ATP facility, with vice president Stella Li confirming it has the chance of finally cracking 500km/h.
According to the executive, Basseng could have reached 500km/h if he had stayed on the throttle for just 1.5 more seconds, though the loose moment he was experiencing meant it wasn’t safe to do so.
Powered by four 555kW electric motors, the U9 Xtreme produces almost 2220kW combined, enough to overcome its hefty kerb weight of 2480kg.
On top of being the fastest car in the world in a straight line, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme is also the fastest production EV around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, setting a time of six minutes and 59.157 seconds.
It completed the 20.832km lap almost six seconds faster than the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, and eight seconds quicker than the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
Just 30 examples of the Yangwang U9 Xtreme will be built, all running on a 1200-volt platform.
One U9 Xtreme is coming to Australia, with business magnate Nick Politis – the chairman of the Sydney Roosters NRL team and the director of car dealership giant Eagers Automotive – set to be its sole local customer.
