Australian police Toyota RAV4 hybrid battery overheats

A Toyota RAV4 Hybrid overheated during a high-intensity driving training session with Queensland Police in Australia. Toyota claims the vehicle is operating properly and has no problems.

Video : Introducing the 2026 Toyota RAV4 SUV model.

An intensive driver training program of the Queensland Police Service (QPS), Australia, has just discovered a high-voltage battery overheating condition on the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid model, a car line famous for its durability and fuel efficiency.

Under a plan announced in early 2025, QPS has ordered 400 RAV4 Hybrids to replace traditional police vehicles such as the Camry sedan. However, leaked internal reports show that during intense driving training sessions, the RAV4's hybrid battery can overheat when the car brakes hard, accelerates hard and operates at high rpm.

Australian police Toyota RAV4 hybrid battery overheated.

In this case, the system will activate protection mode, forcing the car to stop to cool down, or even switch to limp-home mode, operating only on the gasoline engine at limited power.

The news has sparked debate within Queensland police. Police Union president Shane Prior has expressed concern that reduced power in emergency situations could compromise the safety of the public and police. He believes testing should have been conducted before large numbers of the vehicles were purchased.

RAV4 may overheat during hard braking, hard acceleration and high-intensity operation.

In response to these concerns, QPS has maintained that the RAV4 Hybrid remains fully operational. The agency said it has not recorded any overheating incidents during actual operations, and that the problem only occurred under special testing conditions during the training program.

Toyota Australia also confirmed that it had inspected all related vehicles and determined they were operating as designed, while emphasizing that the hybrid system has an automatic protection mechanism to avoid damage in overload situations.

QPS confirms that the RAV4 Hybrid is still eligible for front-line service.

According to experts, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD version uses a 2.5L naturally aspirated gasoline engine combined with a separate electric motor for the rear axle, with no mechanical connection between the two axles. This system only activates the motor after detecting that the front wheels are slipping or need more grip.

However, under sustained high-intensity driving conditions, such as during pursuit training or emergency braking, the electric motor and battery can experience excessive thermal loads, forcing the system to intervene to protect the components. This is a normal response of hybrid vehicles when operating outside their design limits.

Despite the incident in Australia, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid will remain the best-selling SUV globally in 2024, with a reputation for reliability, fuel economy and cost...

Previous independent tests by CarExpert, which included long-distance, off-road and simulated acceleration, have not recorded similar problems, suggesting the issue may only appear in special police exercises.

Despite the Australian incident, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid remains the world’s best-selling SUV in 2024, with a reputation for reliability, fuel economy and low running costs. QPS’ continued use of the RAV4 shows that it has continued to have faith in Toyota’s hybrid technology, even if it requires adjusting its operating procedures to suit the nature of its high-intensity missions.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/toyota-rav4-hybrid-cua-canh-sat-australia-bi-qua-nhiet-pin-post2149059831.html