BYD said its Yangwang U9 Track Edition reached a verified 472.41 kilometres per hour at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg proving ground on 8 August, eclipsing the 438.7-km/h benchmark set by Japan’s Aspark SP600 and becoming the world’s fastest production-based electric vehicle. The four-motor supercar delivers 3,019 horsepower through a 1,200-volt drivetrain powered by an 80-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery that can accept up to 500 kW of charging. The model entered the Chinese market in February 2024 at CNY1.6 million ($235,000). The record run underscores BYD’s push to showcase its most advanced technologies as the company prepares a broader premium offensive in Europe. The German test location also provides third-party validation likely to help the brand counter scepticism about performance claims for Chinese EVs. In a separate move aimed at expanding its mainstream footprint, BYD has begun exporting vehicles built at its year-old plant in Rayong, Thailand. More than 900 Dolphin hatchbacks left the port this week for Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, marking the first shipment of Thai-made BYD cars to Europe and helping to relieve overcapacity in Thailand’s fledgling EV market. Competitive pressure in high-performance electrics is intensifying. Mercedes-AMG reported that its GT XX concept covered 5,479 km in 24 hours at Italy’s Nardò circuit, while XPeng launched a revised P7 sedan on Wednesday with a starting price of 219,800 yuan ($30,000).