How Did the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme Achieve Its World Speed Record?
YANGWANG held an event at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai on 11 November 2026 to commemorate the record-breaking achievement. Approximately 3,000 international media representatives and VIP guests attended the event.
The all-electric hypercar reached a speed of 503.17 kmph on 1 November 2026, at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Region.
The achievement resulted in two Guinness World Records: the fastest speed recorded by a production car during a single-direction run and the fastest speed recorded by an electric production car in the same category.
The record was also recognised by the FIA.
What Changes Enabled the U9 Xtreme to Exceed 500 kmph?
Driven by racing driver Marc Basseng, the U9 Xtreme surpassed its previous record of 496.22 km/h, set at ATP Papenburg in Germany in September 2025.
The record attempt involved two days of testing on a 10 km road section, which included a seven-kilometre straight.
On 31 October, the car reached 490 km/h during two runs.
Engineers made several adjustments to prepare the vehicle for the record attempt. These included changing the rear wing angle to increase downforce over the rear axle, optimising the suspension software, balancing tyre pressures and adjusting battery and motor temperatures.
These changes enabled the vehicle to achieve 503.17 km/h during its second run on 1 November.
What Happened at the Burj Khalifa?
The Dubai celebration featured a special lighting and projection show on the Burj Khalifa to commemorate the U9 Xtreme’s speed record.
Approximately 3,000 guests attended the event, which also included activities highlighting the YANGWANG brand and the engineering technologies incorporated into its electric hypercar.
What Award Was Presented to BYD?
The event also featured the presentation of BYD‘s World Branding Awards trophy to the company’s Executive Vice President, Stella Li.
BYD was recognised as Global Brand of the Year in the Automobiles category under the Global Tier.
The awards ceremony was initially held at Hampton Court Palace in London on 3 November 2026.
Organised by the World Branding Forum, the awards take into account brand valuation, consumer research and public online voting. The Global Tier is reserved for brands operating internationally in at least 10 countries across three or more continents.
What Are YANGWANG’s Plans in the UAE?
The Dubai event forms part of a series of activities being organised by BYD Group in the UAE.
The company also planned a 110-vehicle parade featuring YANGWANG, DENZA and BYD vehicles on 7 November in Abu Dhabi. The U9 Xtreme was scheduled to lead the convoy from West Park to Emirates Palace.
The parade was intended to highlight BYD’s presence in the UAE and showcase the company’s electric vehicle technologies.
Pricing and availability details for the U9 Xtreme in individual markets have yet to be announced.
