Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln say a new auto safety study proves electric vehicles (EVs) are too heavy to be restrained by roadside guardrails in the event of a crash.
Amid growing concern about the environmental impact of gasoline-powered cars, as EVs such as Tesla and the Chevrolet Bolt take over the roads, one of the university's lead researchers said: Midwest Highway Safety Facility “Urgency is needed to address this issue,” the MwRSF warned.
In a study sponsored by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and partnered with Auburn University's Transportation Research Institute, the MwRSF The “first crash test” of an EV pickup truck will be conducted in October 2023.
The test involved a 7,148-pound 2022 Rivian R1T truck, which was driven into the barrier at 60 mph. Footage shows the heavy EV completely smashing through the guardrail and flying through the concrete wall, sending debris flying.
The R1T's massive weight is mainly due to its 135kWh battery pack, which makes the vehicle weigh “a ton more than a Ford F-150 Supercab,” according to car review site Edmunds. state.
“There is an urgency to address this issue,” said Cody Stoll, deputy director of MwRSF. said “As the percentage of EVs on the road increases, the percentage of off-road crashes involving EVs will also increase,” the university said in a January news publication.
The impact with the concrete brought the pickup truck to a halt, but “some of the 5,000-pound barriers were pushed back 10 feet — 50 percent more than normal,” CBS News reported. Reported For the test on Thursday.
The researchers note that safety barriers and guardrails are typically tested using vehicles weighing 2,400 to 5,000 pounds, which is significantly lighter than EVs, “which are typically 20 to 50 percent heavier than gasoline-powered vehicles.”
“MwRSF research shows that EVs are involved in road run-off crashes at roughly the same rate and speeds as gasoline-powered vehicles,” the university said, “which means that when an EV strikes a roadside barrier, the impact energy can be 20-50% greater.”
“EVs aren't the only thing that need to be rethought: roadside barrier design,” Stolle said. “This is a critical and timely need.”
Another test, conducted in September 2023 with a 2018 Tesla Model 3, showed that the sedan's structure was able to lift a guardrail, pass underneath it and come to a halt behind the barrier.
MwRSF said it plans to conduct more tests in the coming days, and the university said that after more results are gathered, “transportation officials, defense experts and MwRSF researchers will work together to determine next steps to address anticipated changes in the U.S. vehicle fleet.”
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' mission is to collaborate with our partners to deliver critical engineering solutions to ensure our nation's security, revitalize our economy and reduce disaster risk,” said Genevive Pezzola, ERDC research civil engineer.
“Conducting baseline comparative testing of these EVs is critical to understanding the potential risks to our nation,” she continued. “This work is a necessary first step to ensure our nation's protective measures, such as roadside barrier systems and barriers to protect against hostile vehicles, are adapting to accommodate the changing composition of our vehicle fleet.”
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Jennifer Homendy, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), have also expressed concerns about serious EV accidents.
“Our guardrails and crash attenuators can hold up to 5,000 pounds. Many of these [electric] “As the weight of the vehicle rises to 10,000 pounds, there are safety implications,” Homendy said at a Senate hearing in March.
CBS noted that by 2023, roughly half of new car sales will be electric vehicles. Estimated value From the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
