Additive manufacturing has once again proven its ability to push the limits of performance. On August 22, 2025, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme (U9X) shattered records at Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit, completing a lap in just 6:59.157 minutes, over five seconds faster than the previous best for electric super sports cars. Not only did it claim the top spot in its class, but it also became the first mass-produced EV to break the seven-minute barrier.
Yangwang, a premium performance brand under Chinese automaker BYD, attributes this achievement to more than just power and aerodynamics. Last week, Yang Feng, head of the Yangwang Research Institute at BYD Auto Engineering Research Institute, revealed details about the car’s 3D printed body to CarNewsChina. He shared that part of his team’s success was due to looking to aerospace standards for producing the frame.
The 3D printed car frame was inspired by aerospace design principles.
Aerospace Design Principles and Materials Reimagined for the Road
To create the U9X’s frame, engineers looked to the aerospace industry. The team developed what it calls multidimensional surface parametric modeling, a technique designed to ensure smooth, continuous transitions across complex curved surfaces. This modeling approach enabled the creation of the Printing HyperCell structure, a honeycomb-like design integrating internal cavities and ribs for maximum rigidity and lightness. According to CarNewsChina, this marks the first-ever automotive application of such a structure. The new design reportedly boosts torsional stiffness by more than 200 percent compared to solid structures of equal weight.
The aerospace inspiration didn’t stop at design. The U9X also incorporates aerospace-grade materials developed specifically for the project. Drawing on research in aircraft lightweighting, the Yangwang team formulated a high-strength aluminum alloy with three times the yield strength of conventional cast aluminum, while maintaining balance and safety.
Views of the 3D printed car frame
The Role of Additive Manufacturing
Manufacturing the frame required laser selective melting, a metal 3D printing process that allowed them to achieve precision down to 0.33 mm. To counter thermal deformation in thin-wall components, engineers used process compensation algorithms, ensuring tolerance accuracy within 0.1 mm on key mounting surfaces. These standards are more typically associated with aircraft engine parts than car bodies. This precision and topology optimization helped the vehicle maintain stability and responsiveness even at speeds approaching 400 km/h. Additionally, the approach enabled tighter integration between vehicle subsystems, improving overall handling.
Recently, the U9X’s 3D-printed body earned an award at the European Car Body Conference, making it the only Chinese-brand project recognized at the event. Scoring highest among the jury, the win highlights how aerospace-grade innovation is redefining what’s possible in automotive engineering. If the U9X is any indication, the next generation of high-performance cars be looking to the skies, as well as the road!
To learn more about the U9X, read the article from CarNewsChina here. What do you think of the U9 Xtreme? Let us know in the comments or on our LinkedIn or Facebook pages! Plus, don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter to get the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox. You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel. If you are interested in more 3D printing news in the automotive and transportation sector, visit our dedicated page HERE.
*Photo Credits: Yangwang via CarNewsChina.com