Dubai Police have put a Yangwang U8 on tourist patrol duty. The SUV makes 1,197 horsepower, reaches 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, can spin 360 degrees on the spot and can float in an emergency. It was unveiled on 21 October 2026.
Unveiled at WETEX 2026
Dubai Police showed the U8 at the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2026) at Dubai World Trade Centre, together with Al-Futtaim Automotive Group. Al-Futtaim is the exclusive UAE distributor of Yangwang, BYD’s premium brand.
The U8 joins a tourist patrol fleet that added a Mercedes SL 55 AMG, a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 and an electric Mercedes EQS 580 in September 2025.
How it floats and spins
The U8’s emergency flotation mode is meant for floods. It keeps the SUV afloat and lets it move through water. BYD says it can stay up for about 30 minutes at roughly 3 km/h, pushing itself along with its wheels. It is a flood-safety feature and not a boat.
The 360-degree “tank turn” works because each of the four motors drives its wheel independently, so the car can rotate without moving forwards or backwards.
Specs and price
The U8 has four motors and all-wheel drive. Together they make 880 kW (1,197 hp) and 1,280 Nm of torque. Top speed is 200 km/h, and the car weighs about 3.5 tonnes.
Dubai Police describe it as electric-powered. BYD lists it as a range-extended plug-in hybrid with a 49 kWh battery and a petrol engine that works as a generator. In the UAE, the U8 Arabian Edition is listed from AED 650,900 before VAT, according to a third-party site. Confirm that figure with Al-Futtaim.
What it will do on patrol
Brigadier Saeed Al Hajri, Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police, unveiled the vehicle. He said it will raise police visibility at Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard and Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR).
It will also serve as a place where tourists and residents can ask officers for help, get information and find out about Dubai Police services.
Al Hajri said the purchase fits the force’s plan to modernise its fleet with newer technology and cleaner transport, and that working with carmakers helps keep the fleet current.
Who attended the unveiling
Brigadier Ali Mohammad Faraj Al Muhairi, Director of the General Department of Transport and Rescue; Colonel Mohammad Abdulrahman Abdulwahid, Director of the Tourist Police Department; and Colonel Anwar Al Nimer, Director of the Force Vehicles Department. Yousuf Raisi, Director of Government Affairs and Health, Safety, Security and Environment at Al-Futtaim Automotive Group UAE, also attended, along with several Dubai Police officers.
