BYD’s Yangwang U9 Track Edition has recorded 472.41kph at the ATP Automotive Testing track in Papenburg, Germany, with German racer Marc Basseng at the wheel on Aug 8.
BYD billed it as a new global EV speed record; the brand unveiled the U9 Track Edition two days later.
Technical changes underpin the run.
The Track Edition swaps the standard U9’s 960kW setup for a quad-motor package delivering 2,250kW (over 3,000PS) on a 1,200V architecture.
For the attempt, the large rear wing was removed to cut drag. Tyres were previously a limiting factor, and were reworked with Giti Tire into a semi-slick featuring a knurled rim interface and high-viscosity lubricant to reduce slippage under extreme loads.
Additional platform details released alongside the claim cite the e4 quad-motor layout with 30,000rpm motors, DiSus-X intelligent body control, and a quoted 1,217PS-per-tonne power-to-weight figure.
Yangwang says its 1,200V system is the first mass-produced platform of its kind and notes continuous high-frequency (100Hz+) torque vectoring for stability at speed. An optional carbon-fibre front splitter is offered.
Basseng also held the previous EV benchmark set in 2024 with the Aspark SP600 (438.7kph).
However, the “world record” framing is contested.
CarNewsChina points out that the absolute electric land-speed record remains with the Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3 from The Ohio State University team, certified at a two-way average of 341.4mph (549.4kph) in 2016 at Bonneville.
On that basis, the Yangwang U9’s mark is best viewed as the fastest for a road-going EV/hypercar, not the outright EV land-speed record.
