YANGWANG, a BYD brand, can now lay claim to have the fastest production car on the planet with its U9 Xtreme hypercar reaching a maximum speed of 503.17 km/h.
The speed surpassed the previous benchmark of 496.22 km/h set last year, securing two Guinness World Records for the 3,019-hp car: the highest speed achieved by a production car in a single-direction run, and the highest speed achieved by an electric production car in a single-direction run. Both have also been recognized by the FIA, the world motorsport body.
The record-setting run was done on the 327-km long Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road, a major highway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE. The road is known for having the highest speed limit in the world of 160 km/h, although special permission would have been given for the run. It is also the longest road in the world using LED lighting.
Challenges for engineers
Executing a run at such a speed on a public road presented distinct engineering challenges compared to a test track. Following initial test runs, the engineering team refined vehicle parameters.
Adjustments included modifying the rear-wing angle for increased rear-axle downforce, reprofiliing the suspension software to manage road undulations, and optimizing tyre pressures and thermal levels for the drivetrain.
1200V electrical architecture
The U9 Xtreme utilizes a 1200V ultra-high-speed architecture paired with BYD’s advanced Blade Battery technology. Motor speeds can spin up to 30,000 rpm and discharge rates reach 30 degrees C.
Intelligent body control
Vehicle stability during the high-speed passes was further managed by the DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System, which uses super-smart sensors to ‘look’ at the road ahead. As surface conditions are analysed at lightning speed, independent vertical suspension adjustments are made at each to exactly bend or stretch before the wheel even hits the bump, keeping the inside of the car completely level.
The forces at which the ‘strength’ of suspension movements can reach over 12 kilonewtons. This means the system can raise or lower the wheels with a force equal to lifting over 1,200 kgs per wheel almost instantly.
The system can make adjustments thousands of times per second. So if a wheel drops into a pothole, the system reacts faster than you can blink to catch the car before you even feel it.
Production of the U9 Xtreme is limited to 30 units globally. The price has not been announced but a standard U9 is priced at around 230,000 euros (about RM1.04 million). Customers who have booked a unit are having their order entered into the production scheduling phase.
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