On August 8, 2025, at Germany’s ATP Papenburg proving ground, the YangWang U9 Track Edition streaked into history. With German driver Marc Basseng behind the wheel, the Chinese-built hypercar hit 293.54 mph (472.41 km/h). That is a new electric vehicle top speed record.
This figure does not just edge past rivals. It smashes them. The previous Guinness certified mark belonged to the Aspark Owl SP600 at 272.6 mph, set in October 2024 on the same track. The Rimac Nevera R, an upgraded version of the standard Nevera, reached 268.2 mph (431 km/h) in mid-2025, beating the original Nevera’s 258 mph benchmark. YangWang’s leap is decisive and symbolic. China has announced itself as a hypercar power.
Under the Skin: Engineering for Speed
The U9 Track Edition runs on BYD’s advanced e⁴ platform, feeding a quad motor system with nearly 3,000 horsepower. Each motor produces roughly 744 hp, giving the car well over 1,200 hp per metric ton, totaling 2,976 hp overall.
Power is nothing without control. The car deploys real time torque vectoring that makes dozens of torque adjustments per wheel each second. It also uses BYD’s headline DiSus X intelligent suspension, a system famous for its party trick jump demo. For this run the mission was simpler. Keep four contact patches planted at triple digit speeds that few cars will ever see.
The Rubber Meets the Road
At nearly 300 mph, tires become a bigger story than motors. Partnering with Giti Tire, BYD created bespoke semi slick track rubber with a custom compound, reinforced construction, and knurled rim treatments to stop micro slippage at extreme speeds. A high viscosity lubricant was added to help keep everything stable.
The aero setup was tailored as well. While the standard U9 uses dramatic wings and splitters for downforce on a road course, the Track Edition traded some downforce for reduced drag. It wore a flat carbon fiber splitter and a minimized rear wing for the high speed attempt. Basseng later noted the car felt nervous near Vmax, yet the control systems were good enough to keep it straight and true.
Top EV Speed Records Visualized
| Car | Speed | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| YangWang U9 Track Edition | 293.54 mph | 2025 | Single direction run at ATP Papenburg |
| Aspark Owl SP600 | 272.6 mph | 2024 | Guinness certified two way average |
| Rimac Nevera R | 268.2 mph | 2025 | Upgraded Nevera variant, one way top speed run |
| Rimac Nevera | 258 mph | 2022 | Production car top speed |
| NIO EP9 | 194 mph | 2016 | Track focused EV with major lap time records |
The Catch: One Way vs Two Way
There is an important caveat. Unlike the Aspark Owl’s Guinness run, which required a two way average, YangWang’s figure came from a single direction pass. In the world of speed records that matters. Crosswinds, surface crown, and micro grade all factor in, which is why governing bodies demand runs in both directions.
So officially the Owl still holds the certified EV crown. Even so, the U9 went faster than any EV in history in absolute terms.
How It Stacks Against the Best
For context with ICE hypercars:
- Koenigsegg Agera RS achieved a 277.9 mph two way average on a Nevada highway in 2017.
- SSC Tuatara later recorded a 283 mph verified two way average in 2021 after controversy around an earlier claim.
- Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ reached 304.8 mph in 2019 on a test track. That was a single direction run and not a Guinness certified two way average.
The YangWang U9’s 293.54 mph is faster than any certified ICE record to date. Only Bugatti’s one way 304.8 mph headline number is higher, and it is methodologically similar to the U9’s single direction pass.
Specs Snapshot
- Architecture: e⁴ platform, quad motor with individual torque vectoring
- Output: ~2,976 hp total, ~744 hp per motor
- Chassis control: DiSus X intelligent body control system with active damping and ride height
- Tires: Giti bespoke semi slicks, reinforced carcass, knurled bead seats, high viscosity lubricant
- Aero for record attempt: low drag bias with minimized rear wing and carbon fiber splitter
- Driver: Marc Basseng
- Venue and date: ATP Papenburg, Germany on August 8, 2025
Why It Matters
For enthusiasts this is more than a spec sheet flex. It proves that EV hypercars can go toe to toe with the best ICE monsters, not just in acceleration but at the ultimate bragging rights number: top speed.
For BYD and China it is a global statement. Not long ago the internet dismissed Chinese cars as copycats. Today a BYD built machine is making brands like Bugatti and Koenigsegg look over their shoulders.
For drivers it is a reminder that the performance future does not belong only to Europe or America. Electrified muscle is now a global game.
The Verdict
The YangWang U9 Track Edition is not a throwaway prototype or a shallow PR stunt. It is a 3,000 hp electric weaponthat has broken into the rarest speed bracket. The one way nature of the run leaves room for a future two way average, either to silence critics or to raise the bar again.
Amped Auto Take: The U9’s run shows the arms race has shifted. The fastest cars on Earth can be electric. The future of speed is not coming. It is already here.
