Chinese EV maker BYD has claimed the Nurburgring Nordschleife’s fastest production EV record with the Yangwang U9 Xtreme, which clocked a lap time of 6 minutes and 59.157 seconds around the 20.8km circuit. This is the latest feather in the cap for the Yangwang U9, with the all-electric hypercar’s Track Edition also setting the record for the highest top speed achieved by an EV – 472.41kph – back in August.
- BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme is the fastest production EV around the Nurburgring
- U9 Extreme was driven by German racing driver Moritz Kranz
- The hypercar’s 80kWh, quad-motor powertrain makes 3,000hp
BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme Nurburgring lap time record
5.8sec delta between prior record holder
With its 6:59.157 lap time around the Nordschleife, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme is precisely 5.8 seconds quicker than the previous record holder: Xiaomi’s all-electric SU7 Ultra sedan equipped with a Track Package. The 1,548hp SU7 Ultra recorded a 7:04.957 lap time around the Nurburgring in June, dethroning the 1,914hp Rimac Nevera hypercar.
Yangwang – BYD’s premium sub-brand – enlisted the help of GT4, GT3, and LMP3 driver Moritz Kranz, who’s won over 60 races, to pilot the U9 Xtreme around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. The company had been testing the U9 at the Nordschleife since July 2024, gathering valuable data to help it snag the fastest production EV record.
U9 Xtreme is over 30 seconds slower than the overall Nurburgring lap time champion
As for the quickest production car around the Nurburgring Nordschleife overall, the ICE-powered Mercedes-AMG One continues to reign supreme thanks to its 6:29.09sec lap time. Compared to the 1,063hp Mercedes hypercar, the U9 Xtreme is over half a minute slower. In fact, the U9 Xtreme’s Nurburgring lap time is comparable to those of the Lamborghini Aventador SV and Manthey Kit-equipped Porsche 911 GT3, both of which are multitudes less powerful.
BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme powertrain specs
Quad electric motors make 3,000hp combined
Under the skin, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme is equipped with an 80kWh LFP battery pack that feeds a quad-motor setup – one for each wheel. These motors can spin up to a whopping 30,000rpm and generate a ludicrous combined output of 3,000hp. This is over double the output of the standard Yangwang U9, which makes 1,305hp.
Every U9 Xtreme upgrade over the standard version
As the ‘Xtreme’ suffix suggests, the Yangwang U9 that broke the Nurburgring lap record is an upgraded version over the original. In addition to the power bump, the U9 Xtreme sports a more efficient cooling system, specific tweaks for the DiSus-X body control system, titanium-alloy carbon ceramic brakes and GitiSport semi-slick tyres.
It also gets a huge wing at the back for additional downforce, which wasn’t present on the ‘Track Edition’ of the Yangwang U9 that achieved the EV top speed record.
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Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
