Can a car act more like a stuntman than a machine? BYD has answered that question with a resounding yes after releasing footage of its Yangwang U9 supercar launching itself over a six-meter road crater without a human in the driver’s seat. The autonomous electric vehicle accelerated to one hundred twenty kilometers per hour before clearing the gap to demonstrate the extreme capabilities of its advanced active suspension system. This high-speed leap serves as a dramatic flex of engineering muscle from the company that has just ascended to the throne of the EV world.
• The Yangwang U9 jumped a six-meter crater autonomously
• The stunt occurred at 120 km/h without a driver
• It showcased advanced active suspension and autonomous systems
Gravity isn’t the only force this vehicle is defying. The track-focused variant known as the U9 Xtreme recently shattered the global production car top-speed record by hitting a blistering 496.22 kilometers per hour at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany. This achievement officially dethrones the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ which held the previous title for petrol-powered production vehicles since 2019. Electric propulsion has now definitively proven it can outrun the fastest internal combustion engines on the planet.
• U9 Xtreme set a new record of 496.22 km/h
• The EV beat the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+
• The test took place at the Papenburg track in Germany
Raw power drives these physics-bending feats. The record-breaking machine utilizes four ultra-high-speed electric motors capable of spinning at thirty thousand revolutions per minute to generate a staggering 2,237 kilowatts of power. Engineers equipped the chassis with specialized twenty-inch track-level semi-slick tires and a retuned DiSus-X suspension system specifically designed to handle the immense structural stress of circuit driving. Every component has been calibrated to push the boundaries of what an electric powertrain can endure.
• Four motors generate over 2,237 kilowatts of power
• Motors operate at speeds up to 30,000 rpm
• The chassis features specialized tires and retuned suspension
Performance dominance is matched by a seismic shift in the global marketplace. BYD has officially overtaken Tesla to become the world’s largest producer of electric vehicles by annual sales volume. The Chinese automotive giant reported selling 2.26 million EVs in 2025 while its American rival delivered approximately 1.64 million units during the same period. Elon Musk’s company missed analyst expectations in the fourth quarter with just over 418,000 deliveries which solidified the transfer of the crown.
• BYD is now the world’s largest EV producer
• The company sold 2.26 million EVs in 2025
• Tesla trailed with 1.64 million annual deliveries
This dual victory on the race track and the sales sheet marks a turning point for the industry. Tesla has long enjoyed the status of the undisputed leader in electric mobility but now finds itself chasing a competitor that is executing at a higher volume and arguably higher performance velocity. Investors and analysts who expected tighter competition were surprised by the wideness of the gap as BYD sets new benchmarks for what mass-market and high-performance electric vehicles can achieve. The era of unchallenged American dominance in the EV sector appears to be over.
• BYD claims victory in both performance and sales
• Tesla faces a new reality as the chaser
• The gap between the rivals surprised market analysts
Via: IOL
