Rivian R1T Tears Through Guardrail In Crash Test, Highlighting Safety Concerns In Heavy Electric Vehicles

The Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln conducted an experiment to test whether guardrails are effective against heavier electric vehicles currently taking over roads. The results of the crash test are concerning.

What Happened: The Nebraska facility performed a crash test in October with a model year 2022 Rivian R1T truck. The truck tore through the guardrail system featuring a 12-gauge corrugated steel guardrail attached to 6-inch deep steel posts at 60 mph.

The facility conducted the same test with a lighter model year 2018 Tesla Model 3 which lifted the guardrail and passed below it, eventually resting behind the barrier.

Why It Matters: The test results raise concerns about whether the guardrails currently in use are equipped to prevent crashes by the heavier EVs taking over roads, the university said in a statement. Electric vehicles are generally 20-50% heavier than combustion engine vehicles.

"As the percentage of EVs on the road increases, the proportion of run-off-road crashes involving EVs will increase, as well," assistant director of the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility Cody Stolle said.

After additional crash tests, transportation officials, defense experts, and Midwest Roadside Safety Facility researchers will collaborate to determine the steps required to accommodate the rising number of EVs in America’s fleet, the university said.

Thousands of fatalities occur every year as a result of 100,000 run-off-road crashes involving roadside barriers, it added.

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