Chinese automaker BYD has announced that its Yangwang U9 engineering test car has achieved a top speed of 472.41 km/h, setting a new global record for electric vehicles.
The achievement comes less than a year after the model established a national benchmark by hitting 391.94 km/h in a speed test last November. The latest run represents a 20.53% improvement, placing the U9 firmly among the fastest hypercars in the world.
At 472 km/h, the Yangwang U9 holds the title of China’s fastest car and now competes with renowned combustion-engine machines. For comparison, the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut reaches 531 km/h, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ records 490 km/h, and the SSC Tuatara maintains a world record of 474.8 km/h.
What makes BYD’s achievement stand out is its value. While hypercars from European and American marques often cost between 10 and 30 mln yuan ($1.4 mln – $4.2 mln), the Yangwang U9 is priced at 1.68 mln yuan (about $234,869), making it significantly more accessible while still delivering world-class performance.
According to Chinese outlet Sanyan Tech, the first Yangwang U9 was handed over to customers in August 2024. Within a year, 149 units had been delivered, making it the first Chinese supercar to surpass 100 deliveries and proving demand for high-performance EVs in the domestic and global markets.
Kursiv also reports that the next-generation BMW iX3 has been spotted on the streets of Shanghai.
