What's that light on the Dash? ELECTRIC VEHICLE EDITION.
30 March 2023

What's that light on the Dash? ELECTRIC VEHICLE EDITION.

Although we've previously covered 'what's that light on the dash' - we're now going to explain the different lights visible on an EV.
With the road to 2030 steaming ahead and quickly approaching, many individuals are now opting to drive an electric car rather a vehicle with an Internal Combustion Engine(ICE), due to the environmental impact, government incentives and low running costs. 

If you're new to EV's you may have no clue what the lights on your dashboard mean as they are different to your previous ICE car. EV's use a traffic light colour system to indicate the severity of the issue on the dashboard. If the icon is green, it indicates that the system is working as it should. Some EV's often also have black or blue coloured warning systems. 


This first symbol indicates that the vehicle is ready to drive. Due to the quiet powertrain of EV's, sometimes drivers may become confused to whether their vehicle is turned on or not - if this symbol appears in green, you are good to go!


This symbol is being used more often in EV's. This means that the electric car will adapt to your driving style in order to run in a more efficient way and get more miles from the battery. This light does not signal that there is anything wrong, it just notifies you that eco mode is on. 


There's a few reasons why you may see this symbol. It could be a general fault/general electrical fault. This means that you should seek help as soon as possible as there are one or two issues. However, it could also be an indication of a major electrical fault. You should stop your vehicle IMMEDIATELY and seek help as soon as possible, as driving any further could increase damage to faulty components. 


The symbol that shows a tortoise means that your vehicle has limited power, and that you should seek out a garage to understand why your car is having the issue.


This symbol indicates that the battery within your car has no power. If the power within the battery to low, you may find that your vehicle won't start at all. 


This is another dashboard symbol that involves the battery of your EV. This indicates that there is an issue with the temperature of the battery in your vehicle, which can be a major issue. You should get this checked by a garage as soon as possible. If the battery becomes too hot, due to a failing cooling system, then the car may catch fire.


If you see this light on your dashboard, it is trying to warn you about your Regenerative Braking System. It can appear in either amber or red to idnicate the seriousness of the issue, but either way you should seek out assistance as soon as possible to prevent further damage. The issue could typically indicate an issue with the electronically controlled brake system fault indicator, the parking brake and the brake fluid warning indicator.