BYD breaks 500km/h barrier after overnight changes in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI — BYD’s all-electric Yangwang U9 Xtreme has reached 503.17km/h on a closed section of highway in Abu Dhabi, crossing the 500km/h threshold after engineers adjusted its suspension, aerodynamics and preparation procedures overnight. German racing driver Marc Basseng completed the record run on 1 November, improving on the car’s previous benchmark of 496.22km/h.
The attempt took place on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road, the E11, in the Al Dhafra region. Abu Dhabi’s authorities confirmed that the route was secured for the exercise, with transport officials and other government entities coordinating preparations and traffic management. The achievement was announced on 6 November.
BYD says the performance secured Guinness World Records for the highest speed achieved by a production car and an electric production car in a single-direction run. That qualification describes the record being claimed: 503.17km/h is the peak achieved on one pass, rather than an average of runs in opposite directions. The FIA has separately recognised the speed achievement and described the U9 Xtreme as the first production car to exceed 500km/h.
Reaching that speed required more than the hypercar’s 3,019PS output. BYD says two runs on 31 October produced a maximum of 490km/h. Engineers then refined battery and motor temperatures, increased rear-wing downforce and adjusted suspension damping and tyre pressures to improve stability over the road’s subtle undulations.
A 10km stretch was available for closure, including a seven-kilometre straight. The team also inspected the surface for debris after sweeping, including wire fragments that cleaning brushes could leave behind. Two further passes followed on 1 November, with the second delivering the record speed.
For Abu Dhabi, the exercise also supported its efforts to attract automotive investment. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office said its relationships with Chinese manufacturers were intended to extend beyond individual record attempts into industrial cooperation and longer-term business opportunities.
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