231012 EV Crash 249

In research sponsored by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Midwest Roadside Safety Facility is investigating the safety and military defense questions raised by the burgeoning number of electric vehicles on the nation’s roadways. crash test performed on a guardrail on October 12, 2023, highlighted the concern. At 60 mph, the 7,000-plus-pound, 2022 Rivian R1T truck tore through a commonly used guardrail system with little reduction in speed. October 12, 2023. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication and Marketing.