Former military chiefs have raised concerns that electric vehicles may put British troops at risk on the battlefield.
The Ministry of Defence is set to hold trials in 2025 to test whether electric vehicles (EVs) can match the capabilities of conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.
The scheme is reported to be an extension of a plan introduced under the Conservative government to develop EVs for use in combat.
Since the July General Election, the Daily Telegraph reports the new Labour government has given around £400,000 in contracts to Magtec, a company that specialises in the electrification of vehicles.
However plans to deploy electric vehicles in the army have caused worry in some quarters.
These include worries about how effective battery-powered vehicles would be, how they could be charged and whether they’d reduce combat ability.
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told the Telegraph a switch to electric vehicles amounted to ‘virtue signalling’ by the Ministry of Defence ‘trying to get into the climate change agenda’.
He added: “It is hard enough to keep the current vehicles supplied with fuel, that is a massive operation on its own – I just can’t see how it would possibly work with EVs.
“Fighting battles is an extremely difficult activity – to make it unnecessarily even more difficult seems to be a crazy endeavour.”
Colonel Tim Collins, who commanded forces in Iraq, said he doubted the battery could provide the necessary horse power for warfare.
He added “What’s driving this? Is it battlefield necessity or fashion? If it’s fashion then it’s a bad idea. Renewables alone aren’t sufficient to deliver the power we need for potential conflicts.”
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “The rapid advancement of electric vehicle technology has opened up new possibilities for military applications, with comprehensive trials in 2025 set to explore whether EVs can match or exceed the performance of conventional vehicles across battlefield operations.
“The Ministry of Defence remains committed to pursuing innovations that could enhance the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces, while also supporting sustainability where possible.”
