BYD's luxury EV subsidiary Yangwang has set a new speed record for Chinese production cars with its U9 electric supercar, achieving a top speed of 391.94km/h during testing in Germany.
- U9 reached 391.94km/h, breaking the previous 312.2km/h record set by the Nio EP9
- Achieved a Nürburgring lap time of 7:17.900
- Road-legal in China and priced at 1.68 million yuan (A$357,962)
Performance Specifications:
- Quad-motor all-wheel drive powertrain
- 960kW of power and 1680Nm of torque
- 0-100km/h acceleration in 2.36 seconds
- 80kWh Blade battery with 450km CLTC range
Market Positioning:
- Targets high-performance EVs like Rimac Nevera and Porsche Taycan
- Significantly more affordable than European competitors
- Competes with other Chinese EVs like the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra
Nürburgring Performance:
- Less than 15 seconds slower than Rimac Nevera and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT
- Placed between two petrol-powered Porsches on the official lap time list
The Yangwang U9's record-breaking performance demonstrates China's growing capability in producing high-performance electric vehicles. While still trailing behind some European competitors, its combination of speed, performance, and relative affordability positions it as a significant player in the global electric supercar market.
