The electric hypercar Yangwang U9 Xtreme reached 503.17 km/h in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first production car to break the 500 km/h barrier. The achievement was recorded on November 1 on a closed section of the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road E11 in the Al Dhafra region, with German racing driver Marc Basseng behind the wheel. The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile officially recognized the result.
“This achievement represents a significant milestone in the development of electric vehicle technology,” the FIA said in its announcement about the record. The federation clarified that the speed was achieved in a run in only one direction. This means the result is not a two-way average, which takes into account the effect of wind and differences in track conditions.
For the attempt, local authorities closed a 10-kilometer section of the E11, including a 7-kilometer straight. The road surface was cleaned and inspected for small objects that could damage the tires or affect stability at extreme speed.
Two runs were conducted on October 31, during which the car reached a maximum of 490 km/h. The engineers then modified the settings of the rear spoiler to increase downforce on the rear axle, adjusted the suspension software, and fine-tuned the tire pressure. During the two additional runs on November 1, the second ended with a speed of 503.17 km/h.
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme uses four independently controlled electric motors, each producing 745 horsepower. Total output reaches 2,977 horsepower, more than twice that of the standard Yangwang U9, which produces 1,287 horsepower.
For the record attempt, Yangwang worked with tire manufacturer Giti Tire on special semi-slick tires designed to withstand the loads generated at high speed. Additional solutions in the area between the tire and the wheel limit slippage during acceleration and braking.
Top speed is not the only achievement of this version. The Yangwang U9 Xtreme completed the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6 minutes and 59.157 seconds, making it the fastest production electric vehicle on the German track. The model improved on its previous result of 496.22 km/h, set in September 2025. Production will be limited to 30 cars worldwide, some of which have already been reserved.