diff --git a/src/vehicle.cpp b/src/vehicle.cpp
index 60265f60707bb..b979ed62a3fec 100644
--- a/src/vehicle.cpp
+++ b/src/vehicle.cpp
@@ -3691,6 +3691,18 @@ int vehicle::max_velocity( const bool fueled ) const
     return is_watercraft() ? max_water_velocity( fueled ) : max_ground_velocity( fueled );
 }
 
+int vehicle::max_reverse_velocity( const bool fueled ) const
+{
+    int max_vel = max_velocity( fueled );
+    if( has_engine_type( fuel_type_battery, true ) ) {
+        // Electric motors can go in reverse as well as forward
+        return -max_vel;
+    } else {
+        // All other motive powers do poorly in reverse
+        return -max_vel / 4;
+    }
+}
+
 // the same physics as max_ground_velocity, but with a smaller engine power
 int vehicle::safe_ground_velocity( const bool fueled ) const
 {
diff --git a/src/vehicle.h b/src/vehicle.h
index 1120f924b5109..3b7a665f14f02 100644
--- a/src/vehicle.h
+++ b/src/vehicle.h
@@ -1191,6 +1191,8 @@ class vehicle
         int max_water_velocity( bool fueled = true ) const;
         // Get maximum velocity for the current movement mode
         int max_velocity( bool fueled = true ) const;
+        // Get maximum reverse velocity for the current movement mode
+        int max_reverse_velocity( bool fueled = true ) const;
 
         // Get safe ground velocity gained by combined power of all engines.
         // If fueled == true, then only the engines which the vehicle has fuel for are included
diff --git a/src/vehicle_move.cpp b/src/vehicle_move.cpp
index ef111cb60b704..e3cc3404576e6 100644
--- a/src/vehicle_move.cpp
+++ b/src/vehicle_move.cpp
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ void vehicle::thrust( int thd )
 
     //pos or neg if accelerator or brake
     int vel_inc = ( ( thrusting ) ? accel : brk ) * thd;
-    if( thd == -1 && thrusting ) {
-        //accelerate 60% if going backward
+    // Reverse is only 60% acceleration, unless an electric motor is in use
+    if( thd == -1 && thrusting && !has_engine_type( fuel_type_battery, true ) ) {
         vel_inc = .6 * vel_inc;
     }
 
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ void vehicle::thrust( int thd )
         stop();
     } else {
         // Increase velocity up to max_vel or min_vel, but not above.
-        const int min_vel = -max_vel / 4;
+        const int min_vel = max_reverse_velocity();
         if( vel_inc > 0 ) {
             // Don't allow braking by accelerating (could happen with damaged engines)
             velocity = std::max( velocity, std::min( velocity + vel_inc, max_vel ) );
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ void vehicle::cruise_thrust( int amount )
     }
     int safe_vel = safe_velocity();
     int max_vel = max_velocity();
-    int max_rev_vel = -max_vel / 4;
+    int max_rev_vel = max_reverse_velocity();
 
     //if the safe velocity is between the cruise velocity and its next value, set to safe velocity
     if( ( cruise_velocity < safe_vel && safe_vel < ( cruise_velocity + amount ) ) ||