Chinese electric vehicle brand BYD has once again stunned the global automotive industry! The latest electric hypercar from its luxury sub-brand, Weyong, the U9 Xtreme, set an astonishing single-direction top speed record of 496.22 km/h at the ATP Papenburg high-speed ring test track in Germany, officially surpassing the 490.48 km/h record set by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019.
This remarkable achievement was accomplished by Marc Basseng, a German endurance racing champion. He navigated the curves at speeds exceeding 300 km/h before flooring the accelerator, allowing the car to effortlessly break through the 450 km/h and 470 km/h barriers and ultimately reach the breathtaking top speed of 496 km/h. Behind this performance lies the impressive technical specifications of the U9 Xtreme: four electric motors provide a staggering 2,978 horsepower, nearly 2.3 times the power output of the standard U9.
Notably, while this single-direction speed record is exciting, it has yet to meet the official bidirectional average speed standard. The SSC Tuatara still holds the official title for the fastest production car with a bidirectional average speed of 455.3 km/h. However, the technological breakthroughs of the U9 Xtreme have already captured global attention.
Beyond straight-line speed, the U9 Xtreme also excels in track performance. At the world-renowned Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany, the car completed a lap in 6 minutes, 59.157 seconds, breaking the record set by the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and becoming one of the fastest production electric vehicles. Another technological highlight of the U9 Xtreme is that it is the world’s first production car to feature a 1,200V high-voltage platform, equipped with a high-energy-density battery pack to ensure stable power output during prolonged high-speed driving.
BYD plans to produce only 30 units of the U9 Xtreme, and while the exact price has not been announced, the market expects the car to sell out quickly. This is not just a hypercar pushing the boundaries of speed; it also symbolizes a significant breakthrough for the Chinese automotive industry in the field of electric vehicle technology, completely颠覆了外界对中国品牌的刻板印象。
The emergence of the U9 Xtreme is not only a direct challenge to traditional European supercar brands but also establishes a new position in the international high-performance electric vehicle market. It showcases the limitless possibilities of electric vehicle technology and proves that Chinese brands have the capability to compete in the global premium car market.
Behind this achievement is BYD’s continuous innovation and investment in electric vehicle technology over the years. From battery technology to drive systems, the U9 Xtreme represents the Chinese automotive brand’s determination and ability to push the limits of electric vehicle performance. For those who follow the development of automotive technology, this is undoubtedly an exciting milestone.
(Note: In the last sentence, “颠覆了外界对中国品牌的刻板印象” translates to “completely颠覆s the outside world’s stereotypical view of Chinese brands.” However, to ensure the sentence flows naturally in English, it is more appropriate to say “completely overturns the outside world’s stereotypical view of Chinese brands.”)