July 1, 2024

The Rivian R1T electric pickup spins out after striking the barrier. The green paint on the torn-away wheel is used to mark where it struck the barrier. The pickup crashed into a concrete barrier but did not go through it. 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 questions raised by the burgeoning number of electric vehicles on the nation’s roadways by performing crash test performed on a guardrail at 62 mph, the 7,000-plus-pound, Rivian R1T truck crashed into a temporary barrier. The barrier deflected several feet but the truck did not go through the barrier. July 1, 2024. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication and Marketing.