Yangwang U9 Xtreme Crashes at 280 mph — SkimNews
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Yangwang U9 Xtreme crashed into a guardrail on its third high-speed test run while attempting to exceed 450 km/h (280 mph), then spun out of control, and BYD published footage from inside the car.
- BYD said a comprehensive medical exam found the driver in good health with no serious injuries after the crash; the U9 Xtreme’s high-strength carbon-fiber cabin also held up despite front and rear damage.
- Yangwang U9 Xtreme completed its first test run above 350 km/h (217 mph) and its second above 420 km/h (261 mph) before the crash.
- BYD tried again shortly afterward, and the U9 Xtreme reached 457.89 km/h (284.5 mph) on the next run.
- BYD said the quad-motor setup is the world’s first rated at 30,000 rpm and delivers nearly 3,000 hp combined; the U9 Xtreme also uses a mass-produced 1,200-volt ultra-high-voltage platform and the e4 platform.
- Jiang Gong, one of Yangwang’s riders, said he saw leeway and believed the U9 Xtreme could break 500 km/h (310 mph); the car reached 496.22 km/h (308 mph) last year as the world’s fastest production car.
Why it matters: BYD’s speed campaign continued after the guardrail crash: the driver was medically cleared with no serious injuries, the carbon-fiber cabin held despite front and rear damage, and the next run reached 284.5 mph. The 500 km/h pursuit now has a documented safety outcome alongside another high-speed result.
Ask SkimNews
