Net zero could put British Army at risk as ministers forge ahead with use of electric vehicles despite military warnings
Military experts have issued stark warnings against the Ministry of Defence’s plans to test electric vehicles for combat use, cautioning that prioritising net zero goals could put troops at risk.
The MoD will expand its battlefield EV testing programme next year at Bovington Garrison in Dorset, despite concerns from senior military figures about compromising combat capabilities.
Admiral Lord West of Spithead, former First Sea Lord, emphasised that war-winning equipment should be the priority rather than net zero targets.
“We need things that we can use to fight and win – because we may well be at war in the next few years”, he warned.
Defence Secretary John Healey recently visited Magtec’s facility in South Yorkshire, praising the company’s “creative flair to improve the battlefield performance and the environmental performance of military vehicles”.
Colonel Tim Collins, who commanded the Royal Irish during the Iraq invasion, questioned the technology’s viability, saying: “I doubt a battery can currently provide the horsepower necessary for warfare”.
The testing phase, described by an insider as “putting these vehicles through their paces”, has escalated the Government’s commitment to developing combat EVs.
Since July, the Government has awarded over £400,000 in contracts to Magtec, a defence firm specialising in vehicle electrification.
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The Government has positioned net zero goals as central to its defence industrial strategy, which was unveiled alongside Sir Keir Starmer’s policy reset speech this week.
Former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, Colonel Richard Kemp, condemned the initiative as “virtue signalling by MOD, trying to get into the climate change agenda”.
He warned that current technology is insufficient for battlefield demands, claiming: “It is hard enough to keep the current vehicles supplied with fuel… I just can’t see how it would possibly work with EVs”.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman defended the plans, saying: “The rapid advancement of electric vehicle technology has opened up new possibilities for military applications”.
The spokesman added that comprehensive trials in 2025 will “explore whether EVs can match or exceed the performance of conventional vehicles across battlefield operations”.
The MoD emphasised its commitment to “pursuing innovations that could enhance the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces, while also supporting sustainability where possible”.
Trials are already underway, as tests on specially converted electric Land Rovers at Millbrook proving ground in Bedfordshire were conducted earlier this year.
Work is currently underway to electrify Foxhounds and Jackals, two of the Army’s key armoured patrol vehicles.
The ministry has previously committed to electrifying its fleet of support vehicles in the UK by 2027.