Electrifying The Military - Could Batteries Replace Oil Soon?

BusinessEnergyElectrifying The Military - Could Batteries Replace Oil Soon?ByScott Montgomery,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Scott L. Montgomery is a geologist who writes about energy issues.Follow AuthorAug 24, 2026, 08:54pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryThe global military is strategically shifting from petroleum to electricity, a transformation driven by modern warfare's high-tech demands and a burgeoning technological arms race, particularly with China. Electrification offers crucial advantages like silent operation, enhanced maneuverability, and reduced logistical vulnerabilities. While the U.S. is developing hybrid tactical vehicles and microreactors, China leverages its advanced civilian battery industry for military gains, posing a significant challenge. The transition is incremental, favoring hybrids for combat vehicles due to survivability and infrastructure complexities. Despite clear benefits, political hurdles and the immense scale of required infrastructure mean oil will remain a critical national security concern for decades, underscoring the measured pace of this profound change.Show More At an estimated 250,000 or more, the US military has the largest number and variety of land vehicles among the world's armed forces. What might it take to hybridize or electrify such a combined fleet? (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesPetroleum powers every armed force in the world today, an iron fact unchanged and unchallenged for over a century. It is a fact that makes oil a national security concern, including for the U.S., but one that may soon start to change. On the modern battlefield, the most critical ammunition is now measured not only in calibers, but also in kilowatts. As the U.S. military continues to integrate AI and other high-tech capabi...