BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme Sets 503.17 km/h Production Car Speed Record on Abu Dhabi E11 Highway
What happened
On November 1, 2026, the BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme electric hypercar clocked 503.17 km/h on a closed section of Abu Dhabi's E11 highway, certified by the FIA and Guinness World Records as the fastest single-direction run for a production vehicle.
The Context
* Engineering precision on asphalt: German professional driver Marc Basseng drove the vehicle across a 7-kilometer straight on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road following overnight recalibrations of the rear wing angle, suspension damping, and tire pressures. * Gulf infrastructure as a tech canvas: Abu Dhabi entities, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), coordinated the closure of a 10-kilometer stretch of public highway to validate national logistics and attract global automotive testing capital. * Surpassing earlier benchmarks: The 503.17 km/h mark improves upon the vehicle's prior verified run of 496.22 km/h at Germany's ATP Papenburg proving ground in September 2025.
The Number
— The first time any street-legal production model, electric or combustion, has verified speeds past the 500 km/h threshold, establishing a new commercial benchmark for battery discharge rates and high-speed thermal stability.
Takeaway
Expect the UAE to expand its public-private testing corridors as Chinese automotive original equipment manufacturers seek real-world proving grounds for commercial innovation.
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سيارة BYD YANGWANG U9 Xtreme تسجل سرعة 503.17 كم/ساعة في أبوظبي
BYD's YANGWANG U9 Xtreme electric hypercar recorded a speed of 503.17 km/h during a test conducted on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road in Al Dhafra region, Abu Dhabi, according to a statement describing the result as a world record.
UAE-based newspaper covering Gulf politics, society, and international developments.
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World's fastest production car hits 503km/h in Abu Dhabi
A YANGWANG U9 Xtreme electric hypercar built by BYD reached 503.17 km/h on a secured section of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi on 1 November 2026, with professional racing driver Marc Basseng at the wheel, setting a new wo...
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World's fastest production car hits 503km/h in Abu Dhabi
A YANGWANG U9 Xtreme electric hypercar built by BYD reached 503.17 km/h on a secured section of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi on 1 November 2026, with professional racing driver Marc Basseng at the wheel, setting a new wo...
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Electric hypercar sets new speed record of 503.17kmph on E11 in Abu Dhabi
A YANGWANG U9 Xtreme electric hypercar has set a new global speed record of 503.17 kph on Abu Dhabi's E11 highway, according to Khaleej Times, marking a notable automotive milestone for the emirate.
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Abu Dhabi hosts history: YANGWANG U9 Xtreme sets new global speed record of 503.17kph
On 1 November 2026, professional racing driver Marc Basseng reached 503.17 kilometres per hour in a YANGWANG U9 Xtreme electric hypercar built by BYD, setting a new world speed record on a secured section of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road (E...
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503kph on Abu Dhabi's E11: BYD electric hypercar sets astonishing speed record
On 1 November 2026, professional racing driver Marc Basseng reached 503.17 km/h in a YANGWANG U9 Xtreme electric hypercar built by BYD, setting a new world speed record on a secured section of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road (E11) in Abu Dhab...