BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme is a hypercar that captured global attention when it took the crown as the fastest car on the planet, with a benchmark speed of 496.22 km/h. On top of the already distinct accolade, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme also recorded the fastest lap time for an electric vehicle (EV) at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which is 6 minutes and 59 seconds.
With these two outstanding accolades under its belt, BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme has further gained global popularity, which is why the Chinese automaker decided to showcase the hypercar’s first production-spec model at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show. It was also during the show that BYD made its first customer handover of the current world’s fastest car, revealing its extreme price tag in the process, which is about P169 million.
The brand said that the U9 Xtreme’s price tag made it the highest-priced transaction recorded at the event, and it is BYD’s most expensive production car to date. Of note, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme is limited to only 30 units globally, making it a rare model, with one example allocated per export market.
Among the 30 owners of BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme is Leonardo Sanchez, who secured his order of the hypercar, and was acknowledged by BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu. Sanchez will be the only one to own the U9 Xtreme in Brazil. Greek-Australian billionaire Nick Politis is also among the individuals who secured his order of the Yangwang U9 Xtreme at the Beijing Auto Show, making him the only person to own the said hypercar in Australia.
The production-spec Yangwang U9 Xtreme comes with a different look compared to the version that set the remarkable speed and lap time. Instead of having a red exterior paint, the U9 Xtreme that was shown at the Beijing Auto Show is finished predominantly in black with gold accents. The Chinese carmaker said that it draws inspiration from golden rays of sunlight “piercing through the clouds on the morning the vehicle broke the world production-car speed record.”
BYD added that each example of the Yangwang U9 Xtreme will feature a unique, fully customised design. Everything from exterior paint finishes and carbon-fibre patterns to the infotainment UI, welcome-light messages, and door-closing chimes. The Yangwang U9 Xtreme has a 3,000-horsepower powertrain that comprises four ultra-high-speed electric motors, each spinning up to 30,000 rpm, paired with an advanced torque vectoring system that adjusts power delivery to each wheel in real time.
Autocar’s Take
BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme continues to gain global popularity, which puts the spotlight on Chinese automakers at the same time. With the U9 Xtreme’s accolades, it allows itself to be one of the most extreme hypercars in the world. Setting the fastest speed and recording the fastest EV lap time are things that add to the U9 Xtreme’s credibility. It also serves as a testament to BYD’s dedication to developing and producing top-notch quality vehicles that can not only go head-to-head with its rivals, such as the Bugatti Chiron, but also beat them while setting new records at the same time.
