Fastest production car hits 313 MPH/500 KPH speed record on the highway

BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme set a production-car speed record of 503.17 km/h (312.66 mph) on November 1 in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first production car to exceed 500 km/h. Racing driver Marc Basseng made the run on a seven-kilometer straight within a temporarily closed section of the E11 highway, rather than at a racetrack or dedicated test facility. The FIA and Guinness World Records recognized the result. It surpasses the U9 Xtreme’s earlier 2025 marks of 472.41 and 496.22 km/h, and leaves the Rimac Nevera R’s electric-car record of 431.45 km/h well behind. The latest run also moves beyond the 490 km/h benchmark set by Bugatti in 2019.

The record-setting car combines a 1,200-volt electrical platform with a Blade battery rated for a 30C discharge over two minutes. Four custom motors, each producing up to 555 kW and spinning at as much as 30,000 rpm, deliver more than 3,000 PS in total. The equipment also includes titanium-alloy carbon-ceramic brakes and Chinese-developed tires designed for speeds above 500 km/h. BYD plans to build just 30 U9 Xtreme production cars. The achievement extends the company’s push into high-performance electric vehicles, while its premium Yangwang brand is also preparing to introduce Altior, an ultraluxury model positioned against Maybach.