We investigated electron transport characteristics of wide-band polar semi-conductors with intermediate strength of the electron–phonon interaction. Electron energy loss to the lattice was calculated as a function of electron velocity for various materials in the frameworks of (a) a perturbative approach based on the calculation of scattering rates from Fermi's golden rule and (b) a non-perturbative approach based on the path-integral formalism of Thornber and Feynman. Our results suggest that the standard perturbative treatment can be applied to GaN and AlN despite the relatively strong electron–phonon coupling in this material system, with intercollision times of the order of the period of the phonon oscillation. Our findings also indicate the possibility for unique long-distance runaway transport in nitrides which may occur at the pre-threshold electric fields. The polaron ground-state energy and effective masses are calculated for GaN and AlN as well as for GaAs and Al₂O₃. An expression for the Fröhlich coupling constant for wurtzites is derived.