The Yangwang U9 Xtreme, a hypercar from BYD with a price tag of $3 million, was involved in a high-speed crash during testing in China. Images and video footage of the damaged vehicle appeared on social media on November 2, showing significant destruction, including a detached rear axle assembly.
Despite the severity of the impact against the track barrier, the test driver exited the vehicle without serious injuries. The passenger cell, constructed with extensive carbon fiber, remained largely intact. There were no reports of a battery fire following the incident, and BYD has not yet disclosed the speed at the time of the crash or the specific cause of the loss of control.
The U9 Xtreme is equipped with four electric motors delivering a combined 2 977 horsepower, an 80.0-kilowatt-hour battery, and a 1 200-volt architecture. In September 2025, the model set a world record for production electric vehicles by reaching 496.22 km/h. BYD intends to conduct further high-speed testing in the United Arab Emirates to surpass the 500 km/h threshold.
