Astonishing Yangwang U9 Track edition hits 292mph to become world's fastest EV

BYD has smashed the EV top speed barrier with a 292mph run in its Yangwang U9 Track Edition supercar. The astonishing top speed was completed on a German test track with Marc Basseng at the wheel, and if confirmed with an official top-speed run, it will not only break the EV speed record, but officially put traditional hypercar brands such as Bugatti and Koenigsegg on notice, too. 

The U9 comes from BYD’s high-end Yangwang offshoot in China, where it’s already set the EV world alight with its huge power figures and clever tech. This Track Edition takes things a whole lot further, though, with more power and an optimised aero package for high-speed running.

BYD claims the Track Edition has a total of 2,958bhp generated from four 555kW (744bhp) electric motors. These run on a 1200V ultra-high-voltage electric system that can combine those motors to create its total power figure. 

Just like any high-performance petrol-powered supercar, thermal management is crucial, and BYD has employed its latest battery management tricks to keep everything cool. The company has also worked with tyre manufacturer Giti to develop a bespoke track-focused semi-slick tyre, with new technology to keep the wheels from slipping from within the tyre. The standard model’s huge rear wing has also been removed, reducing drag and improving that top-speed figure. 

Its ‘DiSus-X’ chassis is also unusual in the supercar class because it’s a fully active system. In this set-up each wheel is truly independent, and uses hydraulics to control the car’s pitch and roll, and does so without the need for any anti-roll bars. This is a similar technology to Porsche’s Active Body Control, and BYD says it helps the U9 to augment its weight to keep the wheels in maximum contact with the road at all times. 

No official weight figure or changes to the battery size has been confirmed for this specific model, but BYD has announced a power-to-weight ratio of 1,200bhp per tonne, putting the U9 Track Edition’s weight at 2,640kg. So it’s not exactly lightweight. And if you’re after an admittedly slightly less extreme EV, why not check out all the BYDs on the Auto Express Buy A Car service now. 

However, while this top speed is incredibly impressive, it can’t quite be taken as a record top speed, because it wasn’t completed in the official capacity. To do so, the BYD would need to do multiple runs in different directions of the road course. Cars must also be largely production-relevant, which isn’t something that can quite be said of the black tape covering up the U9 record car’s panel gaps. 

There’s no denying the huge progress the Chinese manufacturer has made with its battery technology, though. And until the Europeans catch up, brands such as BYD look to be building more and more of a lead in the race to, well, somewhere.

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