A Chinese Supercar Just Became the World’s EV Speed King

The world has a new EV speed king. Everywhere you look, a Chinese EV or EV charging company is making headlines with the latest EV breakthroughs.

EVinfo.net recently reported that China is pulling far ahead of the U.S., and, to a lesser extent, Europe, in technologies like five-minute charging. Last year, BYD overtook Tesla to become the world’s largest EV (electric vehicle) maker by volume. Chinese EVs are not only cheaper and packed with advanced tech, they’re now proving to be faster too.

Case in point: the BYD Yangwang U9 Track Edition, which just became the world’s fastest electric car after clocking a staggering 293.5 mph (472.4 km/h). That’s brushing up against the territory of the fastest gas-powered hypercars on the planet. Inside EVs reported the news on August 26, 2025.

The standard U9 is already wild, packing a dual-motor setup with 1,287 hp that rockets it to 62 mph in just 2.36 seconds. (It even has a gimmick that lets it jump.) But the Track Edition takes things into the stratosphere with a quad-motor system good for 2,960 hp, nearly 1,000 more than the Rimac Nevera R, the previous EV speed champion. With over 1,000 hp per ton, its power-to-weight ratio eclipses most hypercars on the market.

Last year, the regular U9 topped out at 243.5 mph, impressive but shy of the Nevera’s 268.2 mph record. The Track Edition blew past both, edging toward the 300-mph club once reserved for legends like the Bugatti Chiron Supersport 300+ (304.77 mph) and threatening the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, which relies on extreme lightness rather than raw horsepower.Spy shots and regulatory filings suggest the record-breaking car ditched its large fixed wing to cut drag and even taped over panel gaps for aerodynamic efficiency. BYD hasn’t announced pricing yet, but the regular U9 runs about $230,000 in China. Even if the Track Edition costs double, it would still undercut the Nevera R by millions, and that’s a game-changer.

BYD’s Yangwang: China’s Bold Luxury EV Brand

When most people think of BYD, they picture affordable, high-tech EVs that dominate sales charts across China and beyond. But in 2023, BYD launched something radically different: Yangwang, a premium sub-brand designed to go head-to-head with the world’s most exclusive luxury automakers.

Unlike BYD’s mainstream offerings, Yangwang models are positioned as halo vehicles, showcasing cutting-edge technology and performance that push the limits of what an EV can do. The lineup so far includes the U8 SUV and the U9 supercar, both of which serve as proof points that Chinese automakers are no longer content to just compete on price; they want to lead on innovation.

The Yangwang U8 is a massive luxury SUV with a quad-motor powertrain delivering over 1,100 hp. It's a trick party piece? It can perform a “tank turn” by spinning in place, and even float short distances in water during emergencies. Think Range Rover luxury with extreme off-road capability, but fully electric.

The Yangwang U9 is a futuristic EV supercar blending outrageous speed with showmanship. It can sprint to 62 mph in under 3 seconds, leap off the ground with its adjustable suspension, and in its new Track Edition, hit nearly 300 mph—making it the fastest electric car in the world.

Both models utilize BYD’s in-house e⁴ platform, a modular quad-motor architecture that delivers precise torque vectoring, stability, and previously unseen performance capabilities. Yangwang is also characterized by a new design language, featuring sharp angles and dramatic lighting that lend the vehicles a futuristic, high-end identity, distinct from BYD’s more mainstream models.

With pricing north of $150,000 for the U8 and over $200,000 for the U9, Yangwang is one of China’s most expensive car brands. However, compared to European and American hypercars that cost millions, these vehicles appear to be a relative bargain for the performance they offer.

Yangwang signals that China’s EV revolution isn’t just about mass adoption—it’s also about pushing the boundaries of luxury, performance, and imagination. For BYD, it’s a chance to prove it can play at every level of the market, from the affordable Dolphin hatchback to a nearly 300-mph record-breaking supercar.