diff --git a/moment_kinetics/src/em_fields.jl b/moment_kinetics/src/em_fields.jl
index 462d23959..1e94a4df8 100644
--- a/moment_kinetics/src/em_fields.jl
+++ b/moment_kinetics/src/em_fields.jl
@@ -156,6 +156,15 @@ function update_phi!(fields, fvec, vperp, z, r, composition, collisions, moments
                     z_spectral,z)
         end
     end
+ 
+    # zero out electric field if user wishes to remove acceleration physics
+    zeroE = composition.zero_electric_field
+    if zeroE
+        @loop_r_z ir iz begin
+            fields.Ez[iz,ir] = 0.0
+            fields.Er[iz,ir] = 0.0
+        end
+    end
 
     # get gyroaveraged field arrays for distribution function advance
     gkions = composition.gyrokinetic_ions
diff --git a/moment_kinetics/src/input_structs.jl b/moment_kinetics/src/input_structs.jl
index c4fffaaec..f2b4dfbdd 100644
--- a/moment_kinetics/src/input_structs.jl
+++ b/moment_kinetics/src/input_structs.jl
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@ Base.@kwdef struct species_composition
     # gyrokinetic_ions = true -> use gyroaveraged fields at fixed guiding centre and moments of the pdf computed at fixed r
     # gyrokinetic_ions = false -> use drift kinetic approximation
     gyrokinetic_ions::Bool
+    # zero_electric_field = true -> force Ez = Er = 0
+    zero_electric_field::Bool
     # array of structs of parameters for each ion species
     ion::Vector{ion_species_parameters}
     # array of structs of parameters for each neutral species
diff --git a/moment_kinetics/src/species_input.jl b/moment_kinetics/src/species_input.jl
index 59d7043fe..d5e830bfd 100644
--- a/moment_kinetics/src/species_input.jl
+++ b/moment_kinetics/src/species_input.jl
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ function get_species_input(toml_input)
         recycling_fraction = 1.0,
         # gyrokinetic_ions = True -> use gyroaveraged fields at fixed guiding centre and moments of the pdf computed at fixed r
         # gyrokinetic_ions = False -> use drift kinetic approximation
-        gyrokinetic_ions = false)
+        gyrokinetic_ions = false,
+        # if zero_electric_field = true, set Ez = Er = 0.
+        zero_electric_field = false)
 
     nspec_ion = composition_section["n_ion_species"]
     nspec_neutral = composition_section["n_neutral_species"]