BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme hits 308.4 mph, claims world’s fastest production EV

BYD has claimed the world’s fastest production car title for an electric vehicle after its Yangwang U9 Xtreme reached 308.4 mph at the Automotive Testing Papenburg oval in Germany. The record was set by test driver Marc Basseng and surpasses the 304.1 mph mark achieved by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+. The high-speed run was livestreamed in China, and BYD said the feat redefines the sustainable hypercar.

The U9 Xtreme is an upgraded variant of the U9 hypercar, produced by Yangwang, BYD’s premium new-energy-vehicle brand launched in 2022. It sits on a 1200-volt ultra-high-voltage platform and features a re-engineered cooling and thermal-management system to support a 133% increase in total power output. Four electric motors deliver 555 kW each for a combined 2,958.96 bhp.

BYD notes the U9 Xtreme uses the Blade Battery and remains part of Yangwang, the company’s flagship premium NEV brand launched in 2022. Only 30 units are being produced globally, and the price is expected to be well above the standard U9’s roughly £200,000 price tag.

Officials say the official record is typically based on the average of runs in both directions, but the U9 Xtreme's 308 mph feat was achieved in a single pass. Bugatti’s prior record likewise stemmed from a one-way run, so the two cars are effectively on a level playing field for comparison.

Marc Basseng, a long-time sports-car racer, said the record reflects how electric propulsion can deliver constant torque and minimal load changes, allowing the driver to focus on precision at high speeds. The feat underscores BYD’s ongoing push into the high-performance end of the electric-vehicle market.

Context: Basseng previously posted a personal best of 233 mph with the standard U9 last year, and earlier this month he joined a small group of drivers to reach 300 mph in the U9 Xtreme.