Yangwang, BYD’s sub-brand, has set a global electric vehicle (EV) top-speed record of 472.41km/h at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany. The feat was achieved with Yangwang’s latest U9 Track Edition supercar on August 8, 2025.
The Yangwang U9 Track Edition is based on the same e4 platform and DiSus-X core architecture as the Yangwang U9 currently available in China, and retains its aerodynamic design. It also features a 1,200V ultra-high-voltage vehicle platform, combined with a thermal management system optimized for extreme conditions. Additionally, it offers an optional enhanced carbon-fiber front splitter.
The Track Edition’s e4 platform features a quad-motor system with 30,000rpm high-performance motors, each delivering 555kW of peak power. The combined output exceeds 3,000ps, enabling a power-to-weight ratio of 1,217ps per ton. The quad-motor independent torque-vectoring system continuously monitors road feedback, adjusting each wheel’s torque more than 100 times per second.
The DiSus-X intelligent body control system performs rapid, independent vertical adjustments to the suspension at each corner of the vehicle during aggressive acceleration and cornering, or on uneven surfaces. This not only suppresses pitch and roll but also actively optimizes the contact patch between the tires and the road, maximizing grip.
Building on data from extensive testing in Germany in 2024, Yangwang has collaborated with Giti Tire to develop a track-focused semi-slick tire. This high-performance tire features optimized compound materials and a bespoke tread design. An innovative knurling treatment at the wheel-rim interface, combined with high-viscosity lubricant, minimizes relative slippage between the tire and the rim during hard acceleration or braking. This reduces torque loss and tire wear, and improves predictability and stability during dynamic maneuvers.
The record was set by German professional driver Marc Basseng, who was behind the wheel for the previous global EV speed record in 2024. After completing the high-speed test for Yangwang, he said, “Last year, I thought I’d peaked. I never expected to break my own record so soon – but here we are, at the same track, with new technologies that have made it possible.”
In related news, Polestar’s large electric SUV, the Polestar 3, has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest journey traveled by an electric SUV on a single charge
