231012 EV Crash 024

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.