The Chinese Supercar That Drifted Sideways Into History
At the end of October, Jason Ye pulled off a feat few thought possible: he kept the GAC Hyptec SSR in a controlled drift at a 30-degree angle while averaging 213.523 km/h. According to the official Guinness World Records entry, the car had to maintain at least a 30-degree drift angle and cover more than 50 metres to break the previous record.
That benchmark belonged to the Zeekr 001, which managed 207.97 km/h. The GAC run comfortably beat that figure, proving that electric drivetrains can deliver balance and muscle on par with traditional combustion engines.
China’s First Electric Supercar
The GAC Hyptec SSR, formerly known as the Aion Hyper SSR, holds the title of China’s first electric supercar. It packs three electric motors producing a combined 1,224 horsepower. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes around 1.9 seconds, and top speed reaches 251 km/h.
For its record attempt, the car was re-engineered specifically for drifting. Torque distribution and stability control were recalibrated to allow smoother sideways motion. The result is an electric drift missile that relies not on turbo boost or torque lag but on precise electronic management.
In China, the Hyptec SSR costs between 1,286,000 and 1,386,000 yuan (about €165,000–€178,000), depending on trim and configuration.
More Than a Marketing Stunt
As CarNewsChina noted, GAC Group turned the record into a clever marketing moment, proving that Chinese EVs are no longer confined to practicality—they can also be genuinely sporty. It’s a symbolic step, since drifting demands not just power but a delicate balance and fine handling dynamics, traits once associated mainly with Japanese and European performance cars.
Motor1 added that the achievement signals a turning point for electric vehicles: “Where EVs were once linked with silence and efficiency, we’re now talking about them as smoke-and-tyre-screeching track machines.”
A New Kind of Performance
The world of electric cars is shifting towards a future where peak power and mechanical fun are no longer opposites. The Hyptec SSR’s record proves that an electric drivetrain can deliver just as much emotion as a grand-touring petrol engine.
When the Zeekr 001 set its 207.97 km/h drift record last year, it marked the first time an EV entered that arena. Now, the Hyptec SSR has pushed the bar significantly higher. Analysts see it as a sign that Chinese manufacturers are moving confidently into the sports-car segment, blending precision engineering with electrified power in ways that challenge long-held assumptions about what an EV can do.
