BYD sets new speed record for electric cars

Performance car giant Mercedes has been dramatically usurped by a Chinese upstart in the battle for EV speed supremacy.

Chinese electric car giant BYD has smashed the top speed record for electric cars, shortly after Mercedes-Benz set an impressive benchmark for battery-powered vehicles.

BYD took its upcoming Yangwang U9 Track Edition supercar to a test track in Germany, where the coupe streaked to a top speed of 472.41km/h.

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BYD's Yangwang U9 set a new EV speed record. Picture: Supplied

Driven by four electric motors, each with 555kW of power, the supercar has 2220kW of thrust – roughly four times what you can expect from the likes of Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Electronically controlled suspension at each corner is said to optimise grip in all conditions, as well as giving the BYD Yangwang U9 a special party trick in the ability to jump over obstacles.

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A BYD Yangwang U9 car by Chinese car manufacturer BYD is on display at the Essen Motor Show in Essen, western Germany on December 4, 2024. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)

The car has special Giti semi-slick track tyres designed to handle its performance, and its wheels have a carefully textured interface on the rim to make sure the rubber stays stuck to the wheel in extreme conditions.

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BYD's Yangwang U9 set a new EV speed record. Picture: Supplied

BYD’s record run comes a couple of days after Mercedes enlisted the help of F1 star George Russell to set speed records in its Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX show car.

Said to showcase the next generation of Mercedes hardware, the bright orange machine travelled at 300km/h to reach almost 5500km in 24 hours – more than racing cars that contest Le Mans.

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The Mercedes-AMG GT XX concept set new records for electric vehicles. Picture: Supplied

BYD’s speed record is impressive, though it falls a little short of the fastest combustion-powered cars. Bugatti’s Chiron has reached more than 490km/h in testing, and Koenigsegg claims its top models can exceed 500km/h – though it does not have access to a long enough road or test track to prove it.

In any case, Europe’s fastest supercars are expensive machines that can cost upwards of $5 million,

But BYD’s supercar, currently sold only in China, is much more affordable at about ¥1.68 million ($360,000).

The brand has brought an example of the U9 to Australia as part of a showcase, but has not announced plans to sell it locally.