BYD has released footage of its 3,000 hp electric Yangwang U9 Xtreme crashing during testing on a closed track in China. The car was destroyed, but the test pilot was uninjured.
The release of the crash footage coincides with the confirmation that BYD’s electric supercar will attempt to break a top speed of 500 km/h. The record-breaking attempt is planned for November and will take place in Dubai.
The 500 km/h target was set after the U9 Xtreme reached a top speed of 496.22 km/h in 2025. At the time, it was recorded at the Papenburg automotive testing facility in Germany. Outpacing the Bugatti Chiron made it the fastest production car. Improving the record on closed public roads in Dubai would cement the car’s heroic image. But getting there seems anything but easy.
Destroyed but pilot unharmed
What caused the crash on the closed test track in China is unclear, and when it actually happened is also a mystery. What is clear from the footage is that the accident happened during testing. The car was full of measuring equipment, but telemetry and crash data, such as impact speed, were not made public.
Car News China shared the footage on its YouTube Channel.
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme spun out on a straight, hit a crash barrier, and was sent spinning into the crash barrier on the other side of the track. The front and rear of the car, along with most of the bodywork, were destroyed, but the safety cell remained intact. There were also no signs of fire, so the 80 kWh battery pack also seems to have survived.
Aid workers rushed to the crash scene, but the test pilot managed to get out of the vehicle on his own. Checks at the hospital seem to confirm he survived without great injuries.
An impressive feat and testament to the car’s engineering. And undoubtedly one of the reasons BYD chose to release the footage was to attract attention to the new record attempt.
500 km/h in sight?
The BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme packs a punch, with four electric motors, each delivering 555 kW, for a total of 2,200 kW, or around 3,000 hp.
Besides its massive power output, the supercar is also BYD’s technical showcase. It is built on the world’s first 1,200 V silicon carbide platform and supports a 30C discharge rate, providing enough power to the motors from the 80 kWh battery.
But even with this kind of power and technology, the 500 km/h barrier remains a very ambitious target. BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li previously confirmed that a new attempt would be held in Dubai, but that a 15-kilometer stretch of road was necessary to do so.
When and where in Dubai the attempt will actually take place, what the elements’ influence will be on public roads, and whether the 500 km/h barrier will actually be broken are things we are likely to discover over the next month.
