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Earlier this week it emerged that the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD patrol automobiles employed by the Queensland Police Service (QPS) might overheat throughout excessive driving, and now new considerations have been raised concerning the car’s restricted weight-carrying capability.
An inner QPS car weight guideline doc, detailed by 7News Brisbane, reveals {that a} RAV4 Hybrid loaded with two officers, their gear, provides, and different needed gear could have inadequate payload capability remaining to securely transport the rest, akin to criminals.
This, mixed with considerations over the RAV4’s battery overheating problem, which may result in a major discount in energy after overly aggressive driving, has led union representatives to query the car’s suitability for police duties, even when it’s meant for common policing and never pursuits.
Talking with 7News, Australian Manufacturing Staff’ Union organiser Dan Lacey claimed “there are points with the car that haven’t been addressed”.
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Toyota yesterday confirmed to CarExpert that the activation of ‘limp mode’ is inbuilt failsafe mechanism to guard the car’s hybrid powertrain.
“Toyota Australia technical groups have inspected the automobiles in query and decided they’re functioning as designed,” it stated. “In excessive eventualities akin to police driver coaching, the car could intervene to guard the hybrid system.”
Within the weight guideline doc leaked yesterday, the QPS states {that a} RAV4 fitted with a driver safety display behind the entrance seats shouldn’t exceed a complete weight of 2230kg.
With out officers or gear, a RAV4 fitted with the display is estimated to weigh 1889kg. This leaves 341kg of leeway for 2 vested cops, plus their equipment luggage and weapons, usually estimated to weigh round 240kg – leaving simply 101kg left over for detainees.
It turns into extra sophisticated if the RAV4 is carrying extra gear like cease sticks (tyre deflators), a rifle equipment, a fireplace extinguisher, and water, estimated to weigh a complete of roughly 26kg, during which case there would solely be 75kg of payload remaining earlier than hitting the 2230kg ceiling.
Given the typical Australian male is estimated to weigh round 85kg and the typical feminine round 70kg, it’s cheap to count on that 75kg will simply be exceeded when carrying detainees. The QPS maintains that the RAV4 can nonetheless safely transport folks with out exceeding the burden restrict, however Mr Lacey stays skeptical.
“[If exceeded], that raises, clearly, a threat to the officers driving them. It dangers elevated price and upkeep,” he advised 7News.
7News additionally studies mechanics tasked with sustaining and putting in gear within the RAV4 police automobiles voiced their considerations over the car’s weight earlier this yr, however to no avail. It’s understood the QPS will record payload figures in every of the RAV4s as a reminder to officers.


In response, Mr Lacey outlined that “not everybody’s going to be good at judging how a lot they weigh, or one other particular person weighs, or what their gear weighs when it goes right into a car”.
In January 2025, the QPS bought 400 new RAV4 Hybrid patrol automobiles to switch a whole lot of Toyota Camry automobiles utilized by common duties officers throughout the Sunshine State. It’s understood that round 200 have been rolled out as of October 2025.
Different automobiles within the QPS fleet embrace the Kia EV6 and Kia Stinger, that are arguably higher suited to high-intensity driving than the RAV4, alongside a number of variations of the Toyota LandCruiser (together with the 300 Collection and Prado) and Isuzu D-Max with elevated weight-carrying capabilities.
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