EVs a New Risk for Guardrails, Security Stops

The Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center conducted tests of an EV pickup truck to better understand how currently used guardrails and U.S. military protection measures against hostile vehicles.

In a crash test on a guardrail at 60 mph, a 7,000-plus-pound Rivian truck “tore through the barrier with little reduction in speed,” and a Tesla Model 3 sedan lifted the guardrail and passed below it, coming to rest behind the barrier.

According to the two groups, research indicates that EVs are involved in in run-off-road crashes at about the same rate and about the same speeds as their internal combustion-engine-powered counterparts. Given the increased weight and lower center of gravity for EVs, they said, this would mean an EV crashing into a roadside barrier could have 20 percent to 50 percent more impact energy.

Going forward, the groups identified one challenge as adapting roadside barriers to be strong enough for the heavier EVs without creating a threat to lighter vehicles. The military personnel are also focused on mitigation and control of hostile vehicles. More research is needed to ensure the public’s safety and enhance protection of the nation’s infrastructure.