A top speed of 472.41 kph is a figure that， in the past， would immediately bring to mind updates to high-speed rail or new releases from hypercar manufacturers like Bugatti or Hennessey. The notion that an electric vehicle could achieve such a speed was almost unthinkable.
For context， even the Rimac Nevera， often lauded as the pinnacle of electric hypercars and retailing for over ten million RMB， tops out at just over 430 kph.
However， in a surprising turn of events， BYD， a titan of the electric vehicle industry， has achieved this remarkable feat with its new Yangwang U9. This accomplishment places the U9 in a league previously reserved for high-speed trains and top-tier internal combustion engine hypercars.
Just a few days ago， BYD quietly released a three-minute video on its official channel showcasing the Yangwang U9’s engineering test vehicle reaching a staggering top speed of 472.41 kph on Germany’s ATP High-Speed Circuit. This achievement officially makes it the fastest electric production car in history， unarguably setting a new benchmark.
The previous record holder was indeed the Rimac Nevera， a testament to the relentless innovation in the hypercar segment.
It’s crucial to note that this record-breaking speed was not achieved by the current production model of the U9. Reaching 472.41 kph necessitates a sustained output power of over 1500 horsepower from its electric motors， significantly exceeding the current U9’s peak output of 1306 horsepower. This suggests that the record was set by a significantly upgraded version， likely the recently unveiled variant with a stated peak power exceeding 3000 horsepower.
This development is particularly noteworthy given a recent public exchange. Less than two weeks prior， Mate Rimac， the founder of Rimac Automobili， expressed skepticism on Facebook regarding the U9’s claimed performance. He stated， “Given that most Chinese EVs use LFP batteries， I doubt any of them can provide a discharge rate of 20+C (even for 1 second)， which is necessary to deliver over 2 MW of power.” His assertion implied that the U9’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries were incapable of sustaining the required discharge rates for such immense power， suggesting the 3000 horsepower figure was unattainable. BYD’s achievement in hitting this extreme speed serves as a direct and quite spectacular refutation of his claims.
Mate Rimac
While the global automotive community has reacted with widespread praise and astonishment at this milestone for China’s automotive industry， some enthusiasts may be questioning the significance of this speed record. They might ask， “It’s just going faster， what’s the big deal? Didn’t Bugatti hold even faster records?”
To understand the impact， it’s essential to view BYD’s three-minute video and the resulting record as a monumental achievement for high-performance electric vehicles. It not only shatters long-standing preconceptions about the capabilities of EVs but also effectively bridges what was perceived as the last significant gap between electric and internal combustion engine technology.
One of the most persistent biases against EVs has been their perceived limitation to rapid acceleration rather than high top speeds. This perception， while historically accurate for many EVs， is largely due to the engineering differences between electric powertrains and traditional internal combustion engines.
The extraordinary top speeds achieved by gasoline-powered supercars are significantly facilitated by their multi-gear transmissions. Similar to a geared bicycle， these transmissions allow the engine’s power to be optimally translated to the wheels across a wide range of speeds. By adjusting the gear ratios， internal combustion engines can maintain strong torque delivery even at very high velocities， enabling them to continuously accelerate.
Electric vehicles， conversely， often utilize multiple， compact， and lightweight electric motors distributed across the axles. The complexity and bulk of integrating a multi-speed transmission for each motor， especially when multiple motors are employed， presents a significant engineering challenge. Consequently， most EVs rely on single-speed or simple two-speed transmissions， leveraging the inherent characteristics of the electric motors to manage torque and speed. This often results in a torque curve that， while strong off the line， diminishes significantly at higher rotational speeds， limiting top-end acceleration.
The typical torque output curve for an electric motor often shows a sharp decline in torque once a certain RPM or vehicle speed is reached， effectively capping further acceleration.
The torque output plummets after 4000 RPM.
This disparity can be likened to comparing a road bicycle with a full gear range to a single-speed city bike. While both can move， the geared bicycle can achieve much higher speeds with the same pedaling effort by constantly adjusting the gear ratios. This has been a long-standing criticism of EVs: their inability to match the effortless high-speed cruising and top speeds of their gasoline counterparts， despite often offering superior initial acceleration.
A Volkswagen Golf 6 (1.4T) on an unrestricted German Autobahn.
Since the “city bike” (the EV powertrain) cannot be easily re-geared， the only way to improve its top speed is to increase the “cyclist’s” (the motor’s) capability. Essentially， BYD’s approach with the U9 is akin to putting a vastly more powerful rider on that single-speed bike.
This is why EV manufacturers have been aggressively increasing the maximum rotational speeds and power outputs of their electric motors. The progress in this area has been remarkably rapid. The top contenders for the highest horsepower production vehicles are now overwhelmingly electric， and electric cars also feature prominently in the fastest lap times around renowned circuits like the Nürburgring. However， top speed has remained a persistent Achilles’ heel for EVs， with gasoline-powered cars continuing to hold the ultimate speed records.
The current fastest production car， the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ (490.484 kph).
Until the Yangwang U9’s recent achievement， even top-tier EVs like the Rimac Nevera， at around 431 kph， were still a significant margin behind the fastest gasoline cars， and their astronomical price tags – often starting in the millions of RMB – put them out of reach for most consumers.
In this context， BYD’s Yangwang U9 appears to have achieved something truly unprecedented: successfully integrating an “Ultraman” onto that single-speed bicycle， pushing it to speeds previously thought impossible for an EV.
While BYD has not yet released exhaustive technical details， we can glean some insights from their public materials about how this remarkable feat was accomplished. A key element is the U9’s powertrain: four independent wheel-hub motors， each capable of a peak output of 550 kW. This signifies a substantial leap in power delivery to each wheel.
While vehicles with powerful wheel-hub motors are not entirely new (for instance， the Geely Lotus Evija boasts over 2000 horsepower through its dual-motor setup)， the integration and power density seen in the Yangwang U9 are striking.
The motor assembly for the Lotus Evija， featuring a dual-motor setup.
In stark contrast， the dual-motor assembly for the record-breaking Yangwang U9 is visibly more integrated and compact， while delivering even higher power. This represents a significant evolution in packaging and design compared to the motors used in the current production U9.
New assembly (top) versus old assembly (bottom).
When a vehicle leverages such unprecedented power through novel engineering， achieving a record-breaking speed becomes a logical， though still astonishing， outcome. This likely involves a hyper-efficient cooling system specifically optimized for the U9， along with new material science and structural designs capable of handling extreme power and rotational speeds. We eagerly await further technical explanations from BYD.
Beyond debunking the “slow EV” stereotype， BYD’s achievement also serves as a significant validation for its commitment to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology.
The battery pack of the current Yangwang U9.
Prior to the U9’s record-shattering run， LFP batteries were generally associated with lower energy density， poorer low-temperature performance， and limited charge/discharge capabilities. This translated into shorter ranges， reduced winter performance， and slower charging speeds， often positioning them as the “economy” option compared to the higher-performing nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) ternary lithium batteries.
In the consumer market， LFP batteries were typically found in base models， while higher trims featured NMC batteries. However， this binary view oversimplifies the trade-offs， as both LFP and NMC chemistries have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
LFP batteries， while having lower energy density， slower charge/discharge rates， and less robust low-temperature performance， boast superior chemical stability， are less prone to thermal runaway， and offer a significantly longer cycle life. NMC batteries， on the other hand， provide higher energy density and faster charging， but at the cost of reduced stability， increased heat generation， and a shorter overall lifespan.
The exceptionally stable crystalline structure of LFP.
The distinction between LFP and NMC is not necessarily about “high-end” versus “low-end” but rather about how manufacturers leverage the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses of each chemistry. The superior battery technology is ultimately the one that provides a better overall user experience.
The record-setting Yangwang U9 utilizes BYD’s renowned LFP “Blade” battery technology， effectively dismantling the perception that LFP is unsuitable for high-performance applications.
So， what specific advancements has BYD incorporated to overcome the limitations of LFP batteries in the record-breaking U9?
While concrete details remain scarce， based on BYD’s existing technological prowess， we can speculate on several key enhancements in the Blade batteries used in this U9:
1. **Ultra-High Compaction Density LFP Cathode:** By doping the LFP cathode with specific elements， BYD has likely increased its gravimetric capacity， allowing each gram of material to store more electrical charge.
2. **Thicker Electrodes with Advanced Coating:** Utilizing multi-layer coating processes and redesigning the porous structure of the electrodes likely enhances the overall conductivity， enabling faster ion transport.
3. **Robust Thermal Management System for 1200V Architecture:** Beyond the adoption of a 1200V system， exceptionally advanced cooling solutions are crucial to maintain the battery pack within its optimal operating temperature range under extreme load.
4. These are educated guesses based on industry trends and BYD’s known capabilities.
Combined with BYD’s already commercialized “Megawatt Flash Charging” technology (with up to 1000 kW charging power)， LFP batteries， under BYD’s innovative approach， have seemingly shed their limitations and evolved into a highly competitive option.
If these technological advancements can be integrated into BYD’s broader model lineup in a cost-effective manner， it could potentially lead to a significant shift in the perceived advantages of LFP versus NMC battery chemistries.
Therefore， while the Yangwang U9’s achievement is primarily a speed record， the underlying technological implications are vast. It’s no wonder that BYD’s brief three-minute challenge video has sparked such extensive analysis and discussion across the automotive world.
To conclude with a rather chilling thought: observing the video， it seems the Yangwang U9 stopped at 472.41 kph not because it had reached its ultimate limit， but rather due to excessive crosswinds and the limited length of the racetrack.
