According to Forbes, the vast majority of US households have at least one car, with 91.7% of households reporting at least one vehicle and 22.1% owning three or more.

Though we’re all aware of the environmental costs of private vehicles, there’s no denying that in many communities, having a car is a vital commodity when it comes to getting around – whether that is driving to work or the grocery store, attending doctor’s appointments, or knowing that you have four wheels you can rely on in an emergency.

That’s why, alongside expansion of and investment into green public transport networks, comparably clean electric vehicles are important to building a sustainable future and protecting our planet.

Plenty of people have reservations about purchasing an electric vehicle though, with reasons as numerous and diverse as the factors that individuals use to choose a car in the first place.

But whether you’re concerned about cost or safety, longevity or speed, electric car makers are addressing these factors, with new developments and innovations leading to electric cars that are more powerful, more efficient, and greener than ever before.

And recently Chinese electric car maker BYD proved just how far things have come, unveiling the fastest electric car to date, as Car and Driver magazine report.

Incredibly, the YangWang U9 Xtreme sports car reached speeds of 308.4 mph during testing at Germany’s ATP Papenburg racetrack, thanks to its 1200-volt system which can produce over 2959 horsepower.

It’s a record-breaking feat, and not just for electric vehicles. In fact, the U9 Xtreme beat the track’s record for a production car, which was set by the Bugatti Chiron back in 2019.

But don’t go getting too excited, since the ultra-fast U9 Xtreme will be limited to just 30 units of production, due to the high battery requirements needed to reach such speeds.

However, the standard BYD U9 – which is based on 800 volts – is still impressive, and a definite contender if you’re looking to upgrade to greener wheels.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about why we should be worried about the leak in the bottom of the ocean.