YANGWANG U9 XTREME’S SPEED RECORD FEAT IS TOPGEAR.COM’S ‘MOMENT OF THE YEAR

by GasanZammit EditorBYDPosted on Comments are Disabled

yangwang-u9-xtreme’s-speed-record-feat-is-topgear.com’s- ‘moment-of-the-year YANGWANG U9 Xtreme’s record-breaking 496.22 km/h run wins Topgear.com’s Moment of the Year 2026 award Speed feat recognised for ‘sending shockwaves’ around the automotive world and potentially being “just the beginning” of a new performance era New world record for a production car was achieved at Germany’s Papenburg test track on 14 September 2025 U9 Xtreme is the performance flagship of YANGWANG, BYD’s luxury sub-brand The YANGWANG U9 Xtreme’s record-breaking speed run has been recognised as the ‘Moment of the Year’ in the 2026 TopGear.com awards. The hypercar became the fastest production model on the planet when it reached 496.22 km/h at Germany’s ATP Papenburg test track in September– a feat that may be “just the beginning” according to Top Gear. Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, said: “We are deeply honored that Top Gear has named the U9 Xtreme’s world record run as the ‘Moment of the Year’. This achievement reflects the unique technology and engineering excellence behind YANGWANG. The U9 Xtreme demonstrates how BYD, as a true technology company, continues to push the boundaries and demonstrate what electric performance can deliver. Every breakthrough is the result of the relentless pursuit of perfection by our more than 120,000 BYD R&D engineers. We will continue to create technologies that redefine what is possible in the era of electric vehicles.” Jack Rix, Top Gear Editor in Chief said: “The U9 Xtreme makes everything with a combustion engine look a bit… weak. And it delivered a mic drop moment in Germany, hitting 308mph (496.22 km/h) and sending shockwaves around the automotive world. We’ve got a feeling beating Bugatti at its own game is just the beginning.” The U9 Xtreme is an ultra-performance technology showcase from YANGWANG, BYD’s luxury sub-brand. Developed from the established U9 model, it benefits from precision tuning and comprehensive revision of its electric powertrain and chassis. Among the key elements are an increase in the platform’s electric voltage from 800V to 1,200V, four ultra-high-speed electric motors that can operate at up to 30,000rpm and a lithium-ion phosphate Blade Battery with an exceptional 30C discharge rate. The engineering and technology elements combine to deliver more than 3,000hp and a power-to-weight ratio of 1,217hp per tonne – another global record. For the record-breaking run, the car’s DiSus-X suspension was tuned to handle the exceptional stresses of circuit driving and track-quality semi-slick tyres were fitted. At the wheel was Marc Basseng, one the world’s most experienced track speed specialists with skills honed across many years in sports car and endurance racing. Just days before the history-making achievement, Basseng piloted the U9 Xtreme to a new record – 472.41km/h – for an electric vehicle. During the car’s intensive development programme, he also lapped the daunting Nürburgring Nordschliefe in 6m59.157sec – shaving more than five seconds off the previous record time in the Electric Super Sports Cars class and becoming the first such car to dip under the seven-minute mark. The YANGWANG U9 Xtreme is an authentic production model, with a strictly limited run of no more 30 examples being made available to discerning customers worldwide.

Stella Li honored with the Xataka Legend 2025 Award for her leadership in global sustainable mobility

by GasanZammit EditorBYDPosted on Comments are Disabled

Stella Li honored with the Xataka Legend 2025 Award for her leadership in global sustainable mobility • The jury highlighted Stella Li’s nearly three-decade-long career driving electrification and technological innovation.• The BYD Executive Vice President has led the company’s global expansion from its early days as a battery manufacturer to becoming the world’s largest producer of plug-in vehicles.• Stella Li champions technology and sustainability as “the engine to change people’s lives.” Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, the world’s leading manufacturer of plugin vehicles and electric batteries, has been awarded the prestigious Xataka Legend 2025 Award, a recognition from the largest Spanish-language science and technology media outlet, honoring individuals who have advanced innovation and technological progress. With this award, Stella Li joins a select group of leading figures previously honored by Xataka, including astronaut and former Spanish Minister of Science, Innovation, and Universities Pedro Duque, European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg. 29 years of building the world’s largest electric ecosystem Stella Li joined BYD in 1996, when the company had just around 20 employees and focused solely on battery production. Since then, she has led its international expansion and business transformation, turning it into a global technology giant present in 112 countries, with 1 million employees, 120,000 engineers, and an average of 45 patents generated per day. In 2024, BYD produced 4.27 million plug-in vehicles, more than any other manufacturer worldwide. 2025 has been an extraordinary year, marked by historic milestones and unprecedented achievements. The company reached 14 million plug-in vehicles produced, set a production car speed record with the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme reaching 496.22 km/h in Germany, and launched its innovative Flash Charging network, capable of restoring 400 km of range in just 5 minutes with a maximum power of 1,000 kW. During the Xataka Legend Awards gala, Stella Li reflected on the company’s origins and the driving force behind its success: she said, “Everything we do is driven by dreams and passion. We started with 20 people and a simple goal: to use technology to change the world. Today we are almost a million, but the dream remains the same.” In her speech, the Executive Vice President emphasized BYD’s technological core, fully focused on delivering integrated solutions that improve people’s lives: “Technology and innovation are the keys to transforming people’s lives. Our dream is a green ecosystem that generates solar energy, stores it in batteries, and powers clean transportation for everyone.” Spain: a strategic market and a model of accelerated adoptionStella Li used the occasion of receiving this important award in Spain to highlight the crucial role the market plays in BYD’s European strategy, both for its growth and its strong cultural connection to Spanish-speaking countries: “Spain is one of our best success stories. Consumers love our cars, and what happens here becomes an inspiration for all of Latin America.” Stella Li also celebrated recent local milestones, including the international success of the BYD DOLPHIN SURF, voted “World Urban Car 2025” and also recognized by the Xataka community as the Best Technological EV of the year. With the Xataka Legend 2025 Award, Stella Li reaffirms her status as one of the most influential figures in the global transition to electric mobility. Her leadership combines strategic vision, speed of execution, and a human-centered approach to technology.

Volvo EX90 earns five-star rating in Euro NCAP safety tests

by GasanZammit EditorVolvoPosted on Comments are Disabled

Volvo EX90 earns five-star rating in Euro NCAP safety tests In the most recent round of Euro NCAP safety testing, the fully electric Volvo EX90 SUV earned the maximum five-star rating, placing it among the highest-performing cars this year. Euro NCAP is a leading independent car safety assessment program in Europe and helps customers make informed decisions about cars’ safety performance. The family SUV, available with up to seven seats, scored particularly high in both adult and child protection categories. “Volvo Cars has long been a pioneer in automotive safety, and the EX90 is the latest example of that leadership,” says Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “It builds on more than 55 years of real-world crash research, informing how we design our cars for traffic situations people face every day – not just controlled test environments. This Euro NCAP result shows that our commitment to real-world protection translates into top performance in independent safety tests.” With crash research and data from more than 50,000 real-life accidents involving more than 80,000 people, Volvo Cars has built a deep understanding of how to help protect people. Combined with virtual and physical testing, that knowledge powers the company’s development of safety innovations. It also helps to form the foundation of the Volvo Cars Safety Standard – an in-house benchmark that goes beyond the official requirements for safety testing.   The EX90 is born smart, connected and electric. It’s packed with protective and preventive safety technology and software, powered by core computing and informed by advanced sensors. This enables the car to process real-time data, learn and adapt – and thanks to over-the-air updates, Volvo Cars can continuously improve and grow functionalities over time. The EX90 makes use of Volvo Cars’ Safe Space Technology, a bespoke suite of safety systems on each model, designed to work together to help protect people in and around the car. Using advanced sensors, cameras, and radars, the car builds an understanding of its surroundings to help anticipate and mitigate potential risks.   In the event of a crash, its state-of-the-art restraint technology and structural design, tuned specifically for the EX90 – are designed to help protect the driver and passengers. Among the EX90’s standout safety features is the driver understanding system, also available in the ES90. Named one of TIME’s Best Inventions in 2024, the system uses real-time sensing technology to detect the driver’s state and provide support when needed – for example, when a driver may be tired, distracted or otherwise not fully capable of driving. The EX90 also comes with full-cabin occupant sensing to help prevent leaving loved ones behind in potentially dangerous situations. Advanced radars can detect movements as subtle as a baby’s breathing and alert you if necessary.  This latest result adds to the growing list of honours for the EX90, which also includes the prestigious World Luxury Car title awarded earlier this year.