A vehicle control system controls operation of motors of a vehicle and determines whether there is sufficient stored electric energy to power the vehicle through an unpowered segment of a route. The controller changes operation of the vehicle to ensure that the vehicle can travel completely through the unpowered segment by switching which energy storage device provides energy, changing vehicle speed, changing motor torque, changing which route is traveled on, selecting fewer motors to power the vehicle, requesting rendezvous with a recharging vehicle, running the energy storage devices in a degraded mode, initiating a motor to generate power to aid in propulsion and/or recharge the energy storage devices, selecting a different route, controlling the vehicle to draft or mechanically couple to another vehicle, and/or controlling the vehicle to gain momentum or to generate an overcharge.