The key facts
- Yangwang U9 Xtreme accelerated to 503.17 km/h on the public E11 highway in Abu Dhabi, beating its own record of 496.22 km/h
- The FIA confirmed the result on November 6; German racing driver Marc Basseng was at the wheel, completing four runs over two days
- The car received two Guinness records; this is the first time a production car has exceeded 500 km/h
A record on a public road
On Sunday, on a section of the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed International Road (E11) in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi, the electric hypercar Yangwang U9 Xtreme reached a speed of 503.17 km/h. The FIA announced the result on Friday, November 6, reports The National. The previous world record — 496.22 km/h — was set by the same car in September 2025 at the ATP Papenburg test track in Germany.
How the runs went
For the attempt, the company, together with the authorities, closed a 10-kilometre section of the road, of which 7 km were used. At the wheel was German racing driver Marc Basseng, who completed four runs over two days; according to the FIA, on the second day engineers fine-tuned the car to improve the result. Basseng noted that, unlike a purpose-built track, a public road places different demands on precision, stability and trust in the machinery.
The technology and the records
Yangwang is the luxury electric brand of the Chinese company BYD, which entered the UAE market in 2025. The U9 Xtreme is equipped with four independent electric motors with a combined output of more than 3,000 hp, a 1,200-volt electrical architecture, a torque-vectoring system and specialised high-performance tyres. The run earned the car two Guinness records: the highest speed for a production car in a one-way run and the highest speed for an electric production car in the same category. This is the first time a production car has exceeded 500 km/h. The FIA called the result a significant milestone in the development of electric vehicle technology, and BYD vice-president Stella Li said the achievement 'pushes the bar even further for pure electric propulsion'.
Context: the usual rules on this road
The attempt was carried out in coordination with the authorities; however, under normal conditions, exceeding the speed limit on this section of the E11 by more than 80 km/h is punishable by a fine of 3,000 dirhams, 23 penalty points and a 60-day impoundment of the vehicle. The limit set there — 160 km/h — is one of the highest permitted speed limits on public roads in the world.
