Yangwang U9 Extreme Snatches Roadgoing EV ’Ring Record

It would seem the new wave of Chinese carmakers has the Nürburgring electric vehicle lap record firmly in their grip. Just months after the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra made headlines by becoming the fastest production electric car around the fearsome circuit, besting even the Rimac Nevera, the bar has been raised again with a 6:59.157 lap by the Yangwang U9 Extreme.

You’re probably already aware of this car if you’ve been anywhere near an internet in the last few weeks. The quad-motor EV supercar, made by the luxury subsidiary of BYD and powered by a quartet of electric motors delivering a total of nearly 3000bhp, made a splash last month by hitting 308mph, making it the fastest road-going car ever clocked.

It appears to have things other than top speed in its sights, though, as its Nürburgring lap – set by seasoned German racer Moritz Kranz – makes it the first roadgoing EV to lap the Green Hell in under seven minutes.

It knocks nearly six seconds off the time set by the SU7 Ultra Track Package back in April, although given the SU7 is a four-door saloon with literally half the power of the U9, we’re still not sure which is the more remarkable. Then again, ‘half the power’ in this instance still means 1527bhp – we’re operating on another level here.

Helping Kranz set his record-breaking lap were the U9 Extreme’s trick DiSus-X active suspension, titanium-alloy carbon ceramic brakes and a set of bespoke semi-slick tyres. And once again, the small matter of three times the power output of an original Bugatti Veyron.

It’s all rather impressive, but the time still puts it a couple of seconds short of various considerably less powerful combustion sports cars like the Ford Mustang GTD and the latest Porsche 911 GT3. It seems Nürburgring laps are one area where EVs haven’t yet caught up to the old ways.