472 km/h for the BYD Yangwang U9!

Yangwang, the premium brand of BYD, has just made a significant mark in the history of electric vehicles.

On August 8, a BYD Yangwang U9 Track Edition supercar shattered the world speed record for an electric vehicle, reaching 472.41 km/h on the ATP Automotive Testing ring in Papenburg, Germany. An unprecedented achievement, but it also raises a crucial question: should such a machine ever venture outside a circuit?

Technically, this feat relies on a combination of innovations from BYD and its premium brand Yangwang. The U9 Track Edition retains the e4 architecture and the familiar DiSus-X intelligent control system but adds a major advancement: the world’s first 1,200 V production platform, paired with a thermal management system designed for extreme conditions.

Under its sculpted body, there are four motors of 555 kW each, spinning at 30,000 rpm, delivering over 3,000 cumulative horsepower. The result is a stratospheric power-to-weight ratio of 1,217 hp per ton. An impressive figure, but with a quick calculation, one realizes that the mass of the machine exceeds 2.5 tons!

BYD pushes the limits of reason

Now, launched at over 470 km/h, such a mass accumulates kinetic energy exceeding 20 megajoules, equivalent to about 5 kilograms of TNT. In other words, in the event of a loss of control, it’s no longer just a car; it’s a genuine missile. That’s why this record, as fascinating as it is, must absolutely remain confined to a secure, closed environment.

BYD is aware of this and seeks to reassure by stating that the vector control of torque, adjusted over a hundred times per second, allows this power to remain manageable even at speeds where the air itself becomes a wall. The active suspension DiSus-X, capable of adjusting each wheel independently in real-time, helps maintain balance, reduce roll, and maximize grip. Coupled with aerodynamic work and semi-slick tires specifically developed with Giti Tire, a Singaporean specialist in extreme tires, it theoretically allows the U9 to turn a barrage of power into a precision tool.

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It was German driver Marc Basseng, already a record holder in 2024 at 375 km/h, who achieved this new peak. “I thought I had reached my limits last year. But this car redefines what we thought was possible,” he stated after the exploit.

On the circuit, the YANGWANG U9 Track Edition is a technological toy and a fantastic rolling laboratory. But on open roads, it would become an uncontrollable weapon, with potentially dramatic consequences. A striking proof that electric can exceed imagination in terms of performance… provided it remains where it belongs, on a closed track, and only there.