Driver of world record Chinese hypercar says success came from quiet resolve.

WHEN chasing a world speed record, concentration is all - so having a car that was so smooth and quiet made that job all the easier.

So says Marc Basseng, a seasoned endurance racer from Germany, who was behind the wheel when the Yangwang U9 Xtreme notched itself into history as the world's fastest production vehicle.

The special edition of this Chinese brand electric hypercar achieved a top speed of 496.22kmh at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany recently.

Basseng said the car's smooth and quiet electric drive made it easier to concentrate and perform at such high speeds.

“This record was only possible because the U9 Xtreme simply has incredible performance.

“Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load changes, and that allows me to focus even more on the track.”

For a Chinese brand to now hold the speed record with a road-legal EV shows just how much the market has shifted.

What is Yangwang? Fair question. It’s a premium sub-brand of BYD (Build Your Dreams), which is well established in New Zealand.

The record-breaking model is based on the regular U9, already on sale in China, but includes several technical upgrades.

The most significant changes include an ultra-high-voltage 1200V electrical system, four electric motors with a combined output of over 2237kW and a high-discharge-rate lithium-iron phosphate 'Blade' battery. It also uses track-focused semi-slick tyres and a specially tuned version of BYD's 'DiSus-X' suspension system.

The car, which was originally called the U9 Track/Special Edition, will be built in limited numbers. Just 30 examples are expected to roll off the production line.

This new benchmark beats both the previous electric vehicle record and the fastest petrol-powered production car, making the U9 Xtreme officially the quickest production car ever built.

Before Yangwang's run, the fastest petrol-powered production car was the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300 Plus which in 2019 achieved a top speed of 490.484kmh.

Yangwang also set the previous fastest EV record: its U9 Track Edition smashed earlier records by hitting a top speed of 472.41kmh in August. Before that, the Rimac Nevera R held the record for the fastest EV, topping out at 431.45kmh.