In a huge feat of modern engineering, Yangwang (BYD’s luxury division) has created a car that has broken two Guinness World Records in a single run: Highest Speed achieved by a Production Car in a single-direction run, and Highest Speed achieved by an Electric Production Car in a single-direction run. In an FIA-recognized attempt, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme accomplished these records by traveling 312.7 mph on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road in the Al Dafra Region of Abu Dhabi on November 1, 2026.
According to the man behind the wheel, Marc Basseng, “This time, we took on an entirely different challenge — pushing the limits of speed on a public road in Abu Dhabi. Unlike a dedicated test track, a public road presents a different set of challenges, making precision, stability and confidence in the vehicle more important than ever.”
Image courtesy of BYD
Every detail had to be perfect to break the record. Yangwang (with help and blessing from local authorities) shut down 6.2 miles of public roadway during testing. Before, during, and after each run, the road was swept, then scrutinized by professionals to ensure rogue wire particles from cleaning brushes would not cause any issues.
On October 31, Yangwang made two test runs, with the fastest recorded speed showing 304 mph. Engineers subsequently pulled an all-nighter to optimize the vehicle for the following day. Why? Although 304 mph is impressive, Yangwang set out to break the record, and 304 was about four miles per hour short of the previous speed record, which also happened to be set by Yangwang in September 2025.
Image courtesy of BYD
The engineers adjusted the U9X’s rear-wing angle to increase downforce, reworked the suspension software to increase rebound damping to account for imperfections in the road, and triple-checked the tire pressures to increase overall stability. In the first run on November 1, it was clear that the modifications had taken hold. On the second, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme officially broke the record that the Chinese automaker was after.
If you’re looking to add a Yangwang U9 Xtreme to your collection and you live in the United States, you are out of luck for two reasons: First, parent company BYD does not currently sell cars in the U.S., and secondly, only 30 have been built, with the majority already spoken for.
