BYD's electric supercar tops 233 mph

The 1,305 PS Yangwang U9 'flew' during the tests, exceeding the advertised top speed by 41 mph. Is the Nurburgring record in your sights?

By: Alberto Carmone

Aug 15, 2024 at 4:35am ET

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BYD's super sports car has exceeded expectations. Chinese sources report that the Yangwang U9 unveiled in early 2024 made a more than promising debut in track tests, reaching an impressive top speed of 375.12 km/h (233 mph).

This is a remarkable improvement on the 309 km/h (192 mph) announced by the manufacturer at the time of its launch.

Warming up for the Nürburgring?

A video posted on X by cinse market analyst ThinkerCar confirms the record set by the U9. The lap was completed with an air temperature of 25°C and a humidity level of 57%.

In fact, the track tests may just have been a 'warm-up' for something bigger. Indeed, two U9s were recently spotted at the Nürburgring, so it's likely that BYD is aiming for a record on the Green Hell, which could be officially announced in the coming weeks.

As a reminder, the U9 has to beat the time of 7:05 set by the Rimac Nevera to win the title of fastest electric car on the German circuit.

Its secrets

Record or not, the Yangwang U9 has some truly incredible features. The most extreme creature ever produced (so far) by BYD is equipped with a powertrain consisting of four electric motors (one per wheel) of 326 PS each, for a total of 1,305 PS and 1,680 Nm.

YangWang U9

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Capable of accelerating from 0 to 62 mph in 2.36 seconds, the U9 is equipped with an 80 kWh battery giving it a range of 280 miles according to the Chinese CLTC cycle. Furthermore, its 800-volt architecture means it can be recharged very quickly, from 30% to 80% in just 10 minutes.

The first examples will be arriving at Chinese dealerships in the next few weeks, with a starting price of around €140,000 (approx. £120,000). For the time being, there are no plans to bring them to Europe.