A few weeks ago Yangwang made headlines by setting a new record for the fastest speed achieved by an EV (original article at this link). Not content with that achievement, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme has just become the fastest production car in the world. The U9 Xtreme is a limited series production car limited to 30 units.
This is an incredibly proud moment for everyone in the research and development division. Yangwang is a brand that does not recognise the impossible, and only through this commitment to what’s coming next can you end up with a vehicle like the U9X. I extend my gratitude to the whole team, and my thanks to the driver, Marc Basseng, for his skill and technical input. It’s terrific that the fastest production car in the world is now electric
– Stella Li, BYD executive vice president
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Flirting with 500
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme blasted to a top speed of of 496,22 km/h (308,4 mph) at the Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP) test 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.
After completing the high-speed test for Yangwang, he said, “This record was only possible because the U9 Xtreme simply has incredible performance. Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load changes, and that allows me to focus even more on the track.”
Record Breakers
The previous highest top speed achieved by a production car was 490 km/h. That feat was achieved by a Bugatti, which you can read about at this link. Top speed records have been way for brands to prove what they are capable of. The first major milestone for road cars was 200 mph, or 322 km/h. McLaren grabbed the record with it F1 supercar at 390 km/h (as you can see here).
Its a figure that stood for many years until the Bugatti Veyron arrived and broke through 400 km/h, once thought impossible for a road car. A few automakers traded blows for a few subsequent years until Bugatti lifted the new number to 490 km/h, oh so close to 500. It seems this battle now has new players, all keen to grab the headlines.
Most Powerful
The Yangwang U9 Track Edition is reportedly the most powerful car that will go on sale to the public. Although that date as has not yet been made clear. This ultra-high performance version of the U9 is still undergoing testing. The power output is a claimed 2 220 kW (over 3 000 hp). That output makes it far more powerful than any of the current hypercars on offer today. Power is derived from four 555 kW electric motors, one per wheel, that is controlled by torque-vectoring electronics with a 100 hz rate. The car also features specially developed semi-slick tyres and a bespoke aero package. In addition the completely variable suspension has racetrack-specific modes.
Click here to check out a crazy drift video featuring a Xioami EV.
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