Yangwang U9 Xtreme hits 503.17 km/h, the first production car past 500 km/h

BYD's electric Yangwang U9 Xtreme has reached 503.17 km/h (312.65 mph), making it the first production car to go faster than 500 km/h. The FIA, motorsport's world governing body, has recognised the speed.

BYD Europe announced the run on X:

"A new world record for the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme. 503.17km/h. YANGWANG U9 Xtreme has done the impossible, surpassing 500km/h to set a new world speed record in Abu Dhabi."

How the run was done

The run took place on 1 November 2026 on a closed section of the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region, according to the FIA. German racing driver Marc Basseng was at the wheel, as he was for the car's earlier 496.22 km/h run at the ATP Papenburg proving ground in Germany in September 2025.

Local authorities closed a 10 km stretch of road, including a seven-kilometre straight. Two runs on 31 October peaked at 490 km/h. Engineers then changed the aerodynamics, suspension settings and tyre pressures, and the second of two runs on 1 November reached the final figure, the FIA said.

What the records cover

Guinness World Records awarded two titles: the highest speed achieved by a production car and by an electric production car in a single-direction run. Guinness says the speed was checked using the car's speedometer and a calibrated VBOX data logger, with an FIA representative reviewing the data.

The records are for a peak speed in one direction. Guinness notes they are not the same as conventional fastest-production-car records, which average runs made in opposite directions to cancel out wind and gradient.

The U9 Xtreme is a limited-run version of Yangwang's electric supercar. It uses four electric motors with a combined output of more than 3,000 PS and a 1,200-volt electrical system, and production is capped at 30 cars, Grande Prêmio reported.

Primary source: BYD Europe's post on X.