BYD’s luxury sub-brand Yangwang unleashed the U9 Track Edition on Germany’s ATP Papenburg test track, and it blasted to a recorded top speed of 472.41 km/h (around 293 mph), clinching the new global electric-vehicle speed record, says BYD.com.
Four key factors behind that insane velocity are:
- Quad-motor powerhouse on a 1,200 V platform
The U9 Track Edition runs on BYD’s e⁴ platform, with four high-rpm motors (up to 30,000 rpm), each dumping out about 555 kW. Total power tops 3,000 PS, yielding a power-to-weight ratio north of 1,200 PS per tonne, at supercar territory. - Intelligent torque-vectoring and body-control systems
The e⁴ platform’s independent torque-vectoring tweaks torque wheel-by-wheel over 100 times a second. Layer on the DiSus-X intelligent body control system, which adjusts suspension in real time, suppressing pitch, roll, and maximizing tire contact at breakneck speeds. - Thermal management and ultra-high voltage architecture
It’s the first mass-produced 1,200 V ultra-high-voltage vehicle platform, backed by a thermal-management system tuned for extreme conditions. That electric architecture supports sustained power delivery without meltdown. - Track-ready semi-slick tires tailored with Giti Tire
High-speed runs demand more than raw power. BYD partnered with Giti Tire to create semi-slick tires with a custom tread, knurling treatment at the rim interface, and high-viscosity lubricant, to reduce slippage, torque loss, and tire wear under extreme loads.
Put all that together, add driver Marc Basseng pushing it to the limit, and you get record-setting EV speed, not hype.