Electric vehicles (EVs) are raising concerns about the nation's roadside safety system due to their weight and potential for crashing through guardrails not designed to withstand the extra force. Crash test data released by the University of Nebraska reveals that electric vehicles, which typically weigh 20% to 50% more than gas-powered vehicles, can easily push through steel guardrails.
During a test conducted at Nebraska's Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, an electric-powered pickup truck, the 2022 Rivian R1T, weighing nearly 4 tons, tore through a metal guardrail and only came to a stop after hitting a concrete barrier. Cody Stolle, a representative from the facility, acknowledges that the roadside safety system was not designed to handle vehicles weighing more than 5,000 pounds. This test highlights the weight disparity between electric and gas-powered vehicles and the potential risks it poses to the roadside safety system.
The rising popularity of electric vehicles has prompted transportation officials to raise concerns about the safety risks associated with their weight. The National Transportation Safety Board has specifically expressed concerns about heavy electric vehicles colliding with lighter ones. While electric vehicles appear to offer superior protection to occupants in case of a crash, their weight poses a potential danger to occupants of lighter vehicles.
Guardrails exist along tens of thousands of miles of roadway to prevent vehicles from leaving the road at critical areas such as bridges, waterways, and cliffs. However, guardrails are proving to be inadequate in stopping heavier electric vehicles from crashing through them. Michael Brooks, Executive Director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, explains that guardrails serve as a safety measure of last resort. With electric vehicles weighing as much as 7,000 pounds, there is a growing concern about guardrail compatibility.
The crash test conducted by the University of Nebraska also involved a Tesla sedan, which lifted the guardrail and passed under it. Officials noted that the barrier system is likely to be overmatched by heavier electric vehicles.
The weight difference in electric vehicles arises from their large batteries, necessary to achieve a travel range of about 300 miles per charge. According to Stolle, there is a clear lack of compatibility between electric vehicles and guardrails in terms of design. Further testing, including computer simulations and crash tests of additional electric vehicle models, is planned to determine how to engineer roadside barriers that can minimize the effects of crashes for both lighter gas-powered vehicles and heavier electric vehicles.
As the popularity of electric vehicles continues to grow, there is an urgency to address this issue. Currently, electric vehicles make up around 10% of new vehicles sold, but their prevalence is expected to increase significantly. The Midwest Roadside Safety Facility faced a similar challenge in the 1990s when lightweight pickups and SUVs became more common. Now, with more than 50% of vehicles on the road being pickups and SUVs, the facility is once again required to adapt to changing vehicle compositions.
The necessary changes to address this issue remain uncertain. It could involve implementing concrete barriers or exploring other solutions. Philip Jones, Executive Director of the Alliance for Transportation Electrification, questions why electric vehicles were singled out in the testing, noting that some large SUV models can also weigh around 6,000 pounds. However, he acknowledges that the first generation of electric vehicles tends to be heavier and suggests that future generations may be lighter as manufacturers work on developing smaller yet more powerful batteries.
The concern over the weight of electric vehicles extends beyond crashes and guardrail compatibility to other aspects of infrastructure. The extra weight can lead to faster wear on residential streets, driveways, vehicle tires, and even parking garages. Collaboration between transportation engineers and vehicle manufacturers is needed to address these concerns and bring about real change.
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has yet to comment on the Nebraska test results. However, the need for solutions is evident, and further collaboration between stakeholders is necessary to ensure the safety and compatibility of the nation's roadside safety system with the evolving landscape of electric vehicles.
