China's Yangwang U9 Xtreme set a new top speed record for a production car, hitting 503.2 km/h (312.7 mph) in a single-direction run on November 1 in Abu Dhabi. The electric hypercar, piloted by German racing driver Marc Bessing, surpassed its own previous record of 496.2 km/h (308.3 mph) set at Germany's Papenberg track, and became the first production vehicle to exceed 500 kilometers per hour.
Yangwang closed approximately six miles of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road for the attempt. The company swept the road ahead of each run and inspected every meter for debris, including wire particles from cleaning brushes. Yangwang spent two days testing before setting the record on the final pass.
The U9 Xtreme received several updates for this run compared to last year's record attempt. Engineers adjusted the rear wing angle to increase rear downforce, tweaked suspension software to handle road undulations, and modified tire pressure for high-speed stability. The car runs four electric motors producing more than 2,958 horsepower and uses a 1,200-volt battery pack, an upgrade from the standard U9's 800-volt pack. Giti Tire supplied a specially designed tire for the attempt.
Both the FIA and Guinness World Records recognized the achievement. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport holds the next-closest record at 304.8 mph, set in 2019. Yangwang is a subsidiary of BYD, China's largest automaker.