The symbols on your electric car’s dashboard are simpler to understand than you might think. In this article we explain exactly what each electric vehicle (EV) warning light means and how they keep you safe, so you can feel confident while you drive.
62% of EV drivers lack the confidence to identify symbols on their dashboard, and 33% admit to ignoring these.
The icons on your EV’s screen are not as scary you might think. And some are the same as you’ll see in petrol and diesel cars. We’ll help you understand what they mean, and what to do when they show.
Common warning lights on your EV dashboard
Dashboards in vehicles have come a long way. Traditionally, they were analogue, with gauges and dials. Then technology evolved, and cars adopted slick digital displays, with a variety of icons.
The arrival of EVs introduced new complexities, like information about your battery. Because of this, EVs have a more advanced display, with symbols you might not be familiar with.
What each symbol means and what to do if they show
Watch the first video below or read on to find out what each dashboard symbol means.
Information symbols
Charger still plugged in
Wondering why your EV’s not starting? You might have left your charger in. This is a small icon of a plug or a charging cable. It might show in your infotainment system instead of on your dashboard, and it’s unique to electric cars.
To keep you and your car safe, your EV simply will not start until you take your charger out.
Speedometer
This one’s the same as what you might be used to from your petrol or diesel days. It’s an icon of a dial with numbers representing your speed, like a traditional speedometer. The only difference is it might include the abbreviation ‘EV’.
Mileage indicator
Just like a fuel gauge in a petrol or diesel car, this shows you how many miles you can drive on your current charge. In other words, it shows you roughly how many miles you have left, at the time you’re looking at it. It’s an icon of a battery with a small car inside it.
% charge
This simply shows you how well charged your battery is. It’s a battery icon with a percentage, just like on your smart phone.
Some EVs use colour-coding too, like green to show your car still has a high charge, yellow for a moderate charge, and red for a low charge. And lots of EVs let you change or turn off the colours on your display.
Ready to drive
This is a green icon of a car, with a two-way arrow underneath it. In some EVs you’ll see the word ‘Go’ or ‘Ready’ next it, to make it extra clear. It means your EV has successfully started.
If you’ve turned your car on and this does not show, you might have a problem. Check to see if any other warning light shows, then check our list to see what to do.
Driving mode
This tells you which driving mode you’re in: ‘Eco’, ‘Normal’ or ‘Sport’. These are different ways of running your car, and you’ll see the symbol and colours that reflect your mode, like green for ‘Eco’.
Some EVs even adapt to your driving style, to get as many miles out of your battery as possible. Or you can switch between these modes yourself.
Cruise control or adaptive cruise control
Cruise control is when you set a speed and your car automatically maintains that speed. It’s a green speedometer icon with an arrow pointing to the speed you set.
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is when your car automatically adjusts your vehicle’s speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front. This icon usually has a speedometer with a car on top, or an arc with a small triangle.
Regenerative braking
This shows when you’re using regenerative braking, so it’s unique to EVs. It can be blue, with a circular arrow around a battery or lightning bolt, sometimes with the letters ‘RBS’ in a circle. This stands for regenerative braking system.
If it shows as yellow or red, it means there’s a fault, so take your car for a service as soon as you can.
Maintenance symbols
Tyre pressure warning light
This lets you know when your tyre pressure has dropped below what it should be. This could happen naturally over time, if you get a puncture. It’s an icon of a tyre, with an exclamation point next to it, to show the pressure is low.
Low battery warning
Sometimes confused with the limited power warning symbol, this is the most misidentified EV symbol. 80% of EV drivers misunderstand what this icon means. It’s a battery icon in yellow, with two lines underneath it.
It’s just like the low fuel warning you get in a petrol or diesel car. It lets you know your EV battery is low, and you should recharge soon.
Limited power warning
Surprised to see a tortoise on your dashboard? It’s the second-most misidentified symbol on an EV. 79% of drivers do not understand it.
This tortoise inside a circle tells you your vehicle’s power has been reduced, because of an issue with your car. When this shows, it might make it difficult to drive uphill.
There could be a variety of faults, so if charging your car does not make it go away, get your EV looked at.
Serious electrical fault
This is one to watch out for, as it means there’s something seriously wrong with your car, and you’ll need to get it checked out as soon as you can.
It’s a red icon of an exclamation mark on top of either a battery or a car. If you see this, you should stop when it’s safe and get help. If this symbol shows in amber, it’s not a major problem, and you can take it for a service instead.
Battery temperature warning
This symbol is unique to EVs. It’s a battery icon in red, with two lines underneath it and a thermometer symbol on top. It’s letting you know your EV battery is overheating.
If you do not get this checked out soon, it can cause long-term damage. You can check out our tips on how to keep your car cool in the summer.
What’s the future of EV dashboards?
As technology continues to evolve, there are some interesting trends to watch. The most fun one is Augmented Reality (AR). You could see digital information overlaid on your screen, to help with things like directions. It’ll mean you need to look away from the road less often.
Customisation is another big thing to look out for. This means everything from giving your car a personalised theme, like a retro look, to changing your layouts based on the driving conditions.
Interested in leasing an EV on the Scheme?
If you receive a qualifying mobility allowance, you can use it to lease an EV on the Motability Scheme.
We’ll arrange a home chargepoint and a standard installation as part of your lease, or help you with public charging.
Request information to see how we could help you.
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