Chinese performance EV with 1,224HP broke the drift world record in the most aggressive way possible as it launched completely airborne before drifting

A Chinese performance EV has shown that electric cars can be just as wild as their gas-powered rivals after smashing a world record in spectacular fashion.

The 1,224HP Hyptec SSR didn’t simply set a new benchmark for the fastest electric vehicle drift – it also spent part of its run flying through the air before landing and continuing its tire-shredding display.

The dramatic Gymkhana-style showcase featured huge jumps, donuts, and high-speed slides that pushed both the driver and the car to the limit.

It all culminated in a brand-new Guinness World Record for the fastest drift by an electric car.

Chinese performance EV launched airborne and completed car gymkhana

Built by Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), the Hyptec SSR is China’s first mass-produced electric supercar and packs a staggering 1,224HP from its tri-motor powertrain.

With instant torque sent to all four wheels, the EV can rocket from 0- 62 mph in just 1.9 seconds, before reaching a top speed of around 156mph.

Rather than showing off those numbers in a straight line, professional driver Jason Ye put the car through a full Gymkhana-inspired stunt run.

The action began with the Hyptec SSR launching completely airborne over a jump before touching back down and immediately flicking sideways into a drift.

From there, the electric supercar went around tight wooden obstacles, blasted through clouds of tire smoke, and linked together a series of precision slides that almost took out a cute dolphin mascot

The highlight came when Ye held the EV at a huge drift angle while accelerating to an astonishing 132.68mph, setting a new Guinness World Record for the fastest drift by an electric car.

It set a Guinness World Record

To earn the Guinness World Record, the car had to maintain a drift angle of at least 30 degrees while exceeding 128.62mph for more than 50 meters.

The Hyptec SSR comfortably surpassed that requirement, reaching 132.68mph during the officially verified attempt in Beijing on October 29, 2025.

While many enthusiasts still argue that high-revving gasoline engines are essential to drifting, the record-breaking run showed off that you can get precision and control even with an EV.

With more than 900kW (around 1,224HP) available instantly, the Hyptec SSR showed that EVs are now capable of producing the same breathtaking spectacle while adding a new level of technological performance.

Whether electric power will ever replace the drama of traditional drift cars is still up for debate, but after launching completely airborne before sliding into a Guinness World Record drift, the Chinese performance EV has certainly made its case.

A short history of car world records

• 1898 – First official land speed record set at 39.24mph by an electric car.
• 1899 – La Jamais Contente becomes the first car to exceed 62mph.
• 1947 – John Cobb becomes the first driver to break the 400mph barrier.
• 1970 – Blue Flame becomes the first land vehicle to exceed 621mph.
• 1983 – Richard Noble sets a new land speed record in Thrust2.
• 1997 – Andy Green drives ThrustSSC to 763.04mph, becoming the first to break the sound barrier in a car.
• 2010 – Bugatti Veyron Super Sport becomes the world’s fastest production car at 267.86mph.
• 2017 – Koenigsegg Agera RS raises the production car record to 277.87mph.
• 2025 – Hyptec SSR sets the fastest EV drift record at 132.68mph.