When you think of electric supercars, the first company that probably comes to mind is Rimac. The automaker has become such a big name in space that its founder has even been able to take the reigns of Bugatti. Yet, despite the Nevera R packing more than 2,000 horsepower and being capable of hitting 250 mph, it’s not the fastest EV in the world. That title belongs to BYD’s Yangwang brand and its U9 Xtreme, which already topped 300 mph.
The automaker wants to beat its own record, though in preparation for a new record run, a driver ended up in a scary crash at speed.
This Wasn’t A Top Speed Run
YouTube channel DPCcars seems to have uploaded the complete video from BYD Yangwang covering preparation for an upcoming record run to beat 311 mph (500 km/h). Based on the automatic translation of the video, the team has been testing the vehicle at different high speeds and evaluating motor temperatures to avoid overheating or any other issues that might prevent the car from hitting the target. The testing went on for multiple days at speeds above both 186 mph and 249 mph.
The crash happened on a morning when the record team was testing the U9 Xtreme at what seemed to be speeds between 261 and 280 mph. The video doesn’t seem to say what caused the car to lose control, though on an earlier test, the team was dealing with crosswinds that were causing some instability. The footage does show that something caused the car to end up quite close to the outside barrier and get a bit loose. Once it lost control, it slid along the track to the inside until it hit the other barrier. That hit then sent the wrecked car spinning farther along.
As seen in the screenshot at the top of the story, the car was thoroughly totaled with all four wheels completely gone. The passenger compartment, though, was completely intact. Even better, the driver appeared to be safe without any serious injury. The team later went back to testing and had a successful run reaching a speed of 284.5 mph, and based on the video, they seem confident of hitting the 311 mph mark at a test in the Middle East.
What Is The Yangwang U9 Xtreme?
The U9 Xtreme is basically exactly what the name implies: it’s the extreme version of the U9 supercar. The standard U9 is already quite impressive with four electric motors making 1,288 horsepower and 1,239 pound-feet of torque. Plus, it has a claimed top speed of 192 mph and can get to 60 mph in about 2 seconds.
Yangwang U9 XtremeBYD Global
As for the Xtreme, it more than doubled the output. It makes 2,977 hp, and it features a battery with 1,200-volt architecture to ensure the motors get enough electricity. BYD Yangwang has already managed to claim the fastest EV record with the U9 Xtreme, having reached 308 mph at a test track in Germany. It’s also, so far, the fastest car in the world as tested. Additionally, the U9 Xtreme has recorded a sub-7-minute lap time at the Nürburgring. That’s not the quickest EV time, but is still impressive for a car seemingly designed more for top speed than outright track performance.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The U9 Xtreme is just one more example of how China’s becoming a juggernaut in the car industry. Another Chinese automaker, Xiaomi, has been on Porsche’s heels for the fastest production EV lap time at the Nürburgring. BYD has also shown one of the fastest-charging EVs in the world, supporting 1,000-kW DC chargers.
BYD looking to break its own top speed record after recently setting it is just further evidence that China’s automakers want to be the best at absolutely everything.
Source: DPCcars / BYD Yangwang / YouTube
