![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.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/231012_EV_Crash_249.jpg)
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.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/231012_EV_Crash_131A.jpg)
231012 EV Crash 131A
![The Rivian truck has decals affixed to the sides and top to make it easier for the data to be used that the cameras capture. 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.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/231012_EV_Crash_075.jpg)
231012 EV Crash 075
![The Rivian truck has decals affixed to the sides and top to make it easier for the data to be used that the cameras capture. 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.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/231012_EV_Crash_052.jpg)
231012 EV Crash 052
![The Rivian is parked against the guard rail at the angle it will hit during the crash. 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.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/231012_EV_Crash_044.jpg)
231012 EV Crash 044
![Trevor Donahoo, Engineering Testing Technician, connects testing equipment inside the Rivian R1T cab before the crash test. 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. A 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.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/231012_EV_Crash_024.jpg)
231012 EV Crash 024
![A red smear shows where one of the wheels left a mark on the barrier along with the rest of the tanker. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_538.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 538
![Researchers and invited guests look over the tanker following the crash test. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_483.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 483
![The roadside barrier developed by University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers holds firm as a fully-loaded tractor-tanker vehicle slams into it during a Dec. 8 test. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_399.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 399
![The roadside barrier developed by University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers holds firm as a fully-loaded tractor-tanker vehicle slams into it during a Dec. 8 test. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_379.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 379
![The roadside barrier developed by University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers holds firm as a fully-loaded tractor-tanker vehicle slams into it during a Dec. 8 test. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_368.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 368
![The roadside barrier developed by University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers holds firm as a fully-loaded tractor-tanker vehicle slams into it during a Dec. 8 test. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_367.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 367
![A steering guide which rides along a second cable and keeps the wheels straight is connected before the test. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_291.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 291
![Alex Russell connects the tow cable to a hook under the tractor. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_244.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 244
![Each of the rigs tires were painted a different color so researchers could plot where on the barrier each wheel came into contact with it when it hit during the test. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_167.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 167
![Jim Holloway and Karla Lechtenberg work on the computer connections and camera views in a trailer rigged to record the information at the crash test site. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_071.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 071
![Dave Charrion checks a camera alignment used for a speed check before the tanker was driven back to its starting point. Researchers from the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility conducted a rare tractor-tanker crash to test how a newly designed and significantly less tall concrete roadside barrier performs in a crash. The test was at the facility’s Outdoor Proving Grounds on the western edge of the Lincoln Municipal Airport. December 8, 2021. Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication.](styles/square_thumbnail/public/photos/211208_Tanker_Crash_066.jpg)
211208 Tanker Crash 066