The BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme has become one of the most closely watched electric performance cars of the year, and now it’s in the spotlight for a very different reason.
The reported $3 million supercar has crashed during a high-speed run at a closed track in China, with images and video showing serious damage to the rear of the car.
Early accounts suggest the car may have been chasing the 500 km/h, or 310 mph, mark when it left its line and struck a barrier.
At a glance
- The BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme has reportedly crashed during a closed-track high-speed run in China.
- The 2,977 hp electric supercar appears to have suffered major rear-end damage, with the rear axle seemingly separated from the body.
- The incident comes shortly after plans were announced for a 500 km/h speed attempt in the UAE this November.
A closed-track crash with heavy damage
Car News China reported that the U9 Xtreme was involved in a major incident during a speed run on a closed track.
Images and video from the scene show the electric supercar heavily damaged, with the rear axle appearing to have detached from the rest of the vehicle.
The impact was severe enough to leave the car looking effectively destroyed, though the driver reportedly escaped without injury.
The driver was also reportedly able to get out of the car without assistance, an important detail given the apparent violence of the crash.
The exact cause of the incident hasn’t been confirmed.
Reports suggest the car veered off its intended line before hitting a barrier, while attempting to approach 500 km/h.
The 500 km/h target and the U9 Xtreme’s existing record
The crash lands at a delicate moment for the U9 Xtreme programme.
BYD’s plans for a 500 km/h speed attempt in the UAE this November were announced only days before the incident.
It’s not yet clear whether the crash will alter those plans, but the attempt is still expected to go ahead.
The U9 Xtreme has already posted a headline-grabbing number, reaching 496.22 km/h, or 308.33 mph, at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg.
Car News China reported that the run earned the U9 Xtreme the title of the world’s fastest production car.
That context matters because the reported crash appears to have happened while the car was operating in the narrow zone between an already extraordinary verified speed and the symbolic 500 km/h barrier.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | BYD Yangwang |
|---|---|
| Model | U9 Xtreme |
| Vehicle type | Electric supercar |
| Power | 2,977 hp |
| Reported price | $3 million |
| Recorded top speed | 496.22 km/h / 308.33 mph |
| Top speed venue | Automotive Testing Papenburg, Germany |
| Reported target | 500 km/h / 310 mph |
| Planned speed attempt | UAE, November |
For now, the U9 Xtreme remains a car defined by extremes.
Its speed figures place it in rare company, but this crash is a reminder that the final few kilometres per hour at this level are not just a matter of power, but of stability, surface, aero behaviour and risk.
If the UAE attempt proceeds as expected, the attention around it will be sharper than ever.
