The BYD Yangwang U9 Track Edition has ranked as the fastest electric vehicle in the world, reaching a speed of 472.41 km/h. The previous record holders in this institutional sector were Japan's Aspark Owl at 438.7 km/h and Croatia's Rimac Nevera R at 431 km/h.
According to BYD Korea, BYD's high-end brand Yangwang's U9 Track Edition recorded a top speed of 472.41 km/h on the Germany ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg track on Aug. 8. It set a new record for the highest speed of electric vehicles.
The Yangwang U9 Track Edition is based on the e4 platform and DiSus-X core technology architecture, applied to the U9 currently sold in China. It incorporates the world's first production 1200V ultra-high voltage vehicle platform and an optimized thermal management system for extreme conditions, combining existing technologies with innovative performance to achieve unprecedented driving performance.
The e4 system, the world's first quad motor platform, features four high-performance motors operating at 30,000 rpm, delivering a maximum output of 555 kW per motor, with a total system output exceeding 3000 horsepower (PS). The output per ton of vehicle weight is 1217 horsepower (PS), ranking it among the global automotive industry's highest levels.
Additionally, the e4 platform applies an independent torque vectoring system that detects road responses more than 100 times per second, precisely controlling the torque at each wheel. It maintains body position stably even in high-speed driving situations, preventing wheel slip or loss of traction.
Yangwang's DiSus-X intelligent body control system rapidly adjusts the suspension of all four wheels individually in cases of sudden acceleration, high-speed cornering, and uneven road surfaces. This helps suppress pitch and roll, enhancing the driver's stability while optimizing tire contact area to maximize grip. It guarantees high-speed stability and driving safety through synergy with the e4 platform.
Unlike traditional supercars, the U9 pioneers a new boundary in supercar performance and safety by introducing body position control based on the 'e4 platform + DiSus-X' architecture in a circuit environment. It also adopts a carbon fiber front splitter, already in production, to prove the U9's aerodynamic design and technological reliability even in ultra-high-speed driving environments.
To enhance tire performance and durability in extreme driving conditions, Yangwang developed track-specific semi-slick tires in collaboration with Giti Tire based on testing data from Germany in 2024. The optimized compound and dedicated tread design are applied, with special knurling treatment and high-viscosity lubricants introduced at the rim-tire junction to suppress micro-slip that may occur during high-speed acceleration and braking. This reduces torque loss and tire wear while improving driving predictability and stability.
This new record was achieved by professional racing driver Marc Basseng from Germany. He noted, "I thought I had reached the limit last year when driving the 1290 horsepower U9 entry level at a speed of 391.94 km/h, but just one year later, I didn't expect to break my record on the same track thanks to new technology."
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