The Chinese electric vehicle brand BYD has built the world’s fastest fully electric supercar — smashing previous records by hitting top speeds of 293.54 mph (472.41 km/h).
On August 8, BYD’s YANGWANG U9 Track Edition set this record on the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in northern Germany. The YANGWANG U9 Track Edition broke the previous EV speed record of 268.2 mph (431.62 km/h) set by the Rimac Nevera R in July with 2,960 horsepower and a power-to-weight ratio of 1,341.5 horsepower per ton (1,217 horsepower per tonne). This car is the younger sibling of BYD’s first fully electric supercar, the YANGWANG U9, which has 1,300 horsepower and was released last summer. The Track Edition still bears a family resemblance to the standard U9 model, sharing the same aerodynamic design.
It is also built upon the same power system, which has four independent electric motors and four-wheel torque control, as well as a body control system, which keeps the car as flat as possible when speeding up, slowing down or going round corners.
The lithium iron phosphate “Blade Battery” remains the same, with its flat rectangular shape allowing for efficient cooling and increased energy density, BYD representatives said on the company’s website. This battery can be charged from 30% to 80% in just half an hour.To overtake the speed record of 233 mph (275 km/h) the U9 set in August 2024, BYD engineers built in a temperature control system for the battery and motor that is tailored to extreme conditions. They also added “the world’s first mass-produced 1200V ultra-high-voltage vehicle platform”, BYD representatives said in a statement.