BYD’s ultra-premium Yangwang brand has been chasing ever-higher top speeds with its U9 Xtreme, which already hit 496.22 km/h at Germany’s ATP Papenburg proving ground in September 2025. Today, the FIA says the limited-run EV reached 503.17 km/h on November 1 during a high-speed run in Abu Dhabi – making it the first production car past the 500 km/h mark, according to the federation.
German racer Marc Basseng was behind the wheel on a closed stretch of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. After peaking at 490 km/h on October 31, engineers tweaked the aerodynamics, suspension, and tire pressures overnight, and the second run the next day delivered the 503.17 km/h figure.
