The Yangwang U9 Xtreme has reached 503.17km/h, around 312.7mph, becoming the first production car to exceed 500km/h. The FIA has recognised the result, with two Guinness World Records awarded specifically for single-direction runs.
Endurance racer Marc Basseng drove the electric hypercar on 1 November 2026 in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. Authorities closed a 10km section of the E11, including a seven-kilometre straight, for the attempt, the FIA confirms.
What the single-direction record means
The Guinness titles cover the highest speed achieved by a production car in one direction, and the equivalent achievement for an electric production car. That wording matters when comparing Yangwang’s result with other speed records.
A two-way average combines runs in opposite directions to help account for wind and road gradient.
A peak speed from one direction measures a different achievement, even when that number is substantially higher.
The SSC Tuatara’s 282.9mph two-way average, independently verified by Racelogic in January 2021, therefore remains a separate benchmark. Yangwang’s 503.17km/h result does not replace it on the same terms.
For a sense of the pace involved, the U9 Xtreme was covering roughly 140 metres every second at its recorded maximum. That leaves very little road between one decision and the next.
What changed before the 503.17km/h run?
BYD’s account of the attempt lists output at 3,019PS, approximately 2,978bhp. Four electric motors power the Xtreme, which previously reached 496.22km/h at Germany’s ATP Papenburg facility in September 2025, also with Basseng driving.
Two runs on 31 October reached 490km/h. Overnight, engineers revised preparation procedures to bring the battery and motors to their intended starting temperatures.
They also adjusted the rear wing for more rear downforce and fine-tuned tyre pressures.
Suspension software changes increased rebound damping to deal with subtle undulations in the road.
Two further runs followed on 1 November, with the second producing the new maximum.
The Xtreme also uses a 1,200V electrical system, a high-discharge Blade Battery and revised DiSus-X suspension. It is a distinct factory-developed version of the U9, with BYD’s production announcement limiting the series to no more than 30 cars.
