294 mph! Yangwang U9 Track Edition sets new EV top speed record

Chinese EV maker Yangwang, a sub-brand of BYD, has registered a new top speed record for electric cars. The brand’s U9 Track Edition clocked 472.41 km/h (294 mph) at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany.

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.”

The Yangwang U9 Track Edition is based on the e4 platform. It uses a 1200V ultra-high-voltage architecture – a first for a mass-produced car.

The U9 is powered by four electric motors that can run at 30,000 rpm, delivering a peak output of 744 hp per motor. The car has a combined output of just under 3000 hp and a ridiculous power-to-weight ratio of 1205 hp per tonne.