What does READY mean on an electric car?

It means the car is switched on and the high-voltage system is connected to the motor, so it will drive off as soon as you select a gear and lift off the brake. It is the electric equivalent of hearing the engine running. On a hybrid, READY staying lit while the petrol engine is silent is completely normal — the engine only starts when the car needs it.

Do electric cars need an MOT?

Yes, on exactly the same schedule as a petrol or diesel car: the first test three years after registration, then every year. The only section a battery-electric car misses is the exhaust emissions test, for the obvious reason. Everything else applies in full, and because electric cars are heavy and quick off the line, testers see plenty of them for worn tyres, suspension and brake defects.

Why is my electric car not going into READY mode?

The usual culprit is the small 12-volt battery, not the big one. Every EV still uses a conventional 12-volt battery to wake the computers and close the high-voltage contactors, and if it is flat the car will not go ready no matter how much charge the traction battery holds. Other common causes are the charging cable still being plugged in, the car not being in Park, or a key fob with a dead cell. If none of those apply and another warning lamp is lit, the drive system has refused to go live and it needs a diagnostic.

Can you leave an electric car switched on by accident?

Easily, and most owners have done it. There is no engine noise to remind you, so the car can sit ready in a car park for hours with the climate control and screens running off the traction battery. Modern EVs usually shut down after a period unattended or when they detect the key leaving, but not all do, and a car left ready overnight can lose a meaningful amount of range.

Dashboard warning light

EV ready light

Last updated 27 July 2026

Quick answer

The car is switched on and will move as soon as you select a gear and release the brake. Because an electric drivetrain makes no noise standing still, this lamp does the job the sound of an idling engine used to do.

What to do: No action needed
Can you drive?: Yes

Why it is green

Confirms something is switched on and working. Not a fault.

What turns it on

It appears once the start sequence has finished, the high-voltage contactors have closed and the drive system has passed its self-checks. On a hybrid it stays lit whether or not the petrol engine happens to be running, which is exactly the point of it: the engine stopping at a junction is normal behaviour, not the car cutting out.

What to do about it

Nothing. This is the lamp you want to see, and its absence is the problem rather than its presence.
Treat it as a running engine. The car will creep or pull away the moment a gear is selected, and there is no idle noise to remind you.
If it does not appear when you press start, check the car is in Park, that you have the brake pedal pressed, and that the key is inside the car and not flat.
Check it has gone out before you walk away. Leaving an electric car live is easily done in a quiet car park, and the cabin systems will sit there drawing from the battery.

Can you keep driving?

Yes

Yes, that is what it is telling you. The only caution worth giving is the one every EV owner learns in the first week: a silent car that is ready to move is easy to misjudge, especially with somebody standing behind it.

What causes it

A flat 12-volt battery, which is comfortably the most common reason an EV refuses to go ready even with a full traction battery
The brake pedal not pressed hard enough, or the car not in Park
A key fob with a dead cell that the car cannot detect
The charging cable still plugged in, which locks out drive on every EV sold
A drive system or high-voltage fault that has stopped the contactors closing, which will normally show its own warning lamp alongside

Does it fail an MOT?

No.

There is no MOT defect for this lamp and no part of the test involves it. Worth stating clearly because it is the single most common misunderstanding about electric cars: they do need an MOT, on exactly the same schedule as everything else, three years from new and every year after. A battery-electric car skips only the exhaust emissions section, because it has no exhaust. Brakes, tyres, steering, suspension, lights, wipers, washers, seatbelts, structure and the horn are all tested as normal, and heavy EVs are notably hard on tyres and suspension bushes.

Common questions

What does READY mean on an electric car?: It means the car is switched on and the high-voltage system is connected to the motor, so it will drive off as soon as you select a gear and lift off the brake. It is the electric equivalent of hearing the engine running. On a hybrid, READY staying lit while the petrol engine is silent is completely normal — the engine only starts when the car needs it.
Do electric cars need an MOT?: Yes, on exactly the same schedule as a petrol or diesel car: the first test three years after registration, then every year. The only section a battery-electric car misses is the exhaust emissions test, for the obvious reason. Everything else applies in full, and because electric cars are heavy and quick off the line, testers see plenty of them for worn tyres, suspension and brake defects.
Why is my electric car not going into READY mode?: The usual culprit is the small 12-volt battery, not the big one. Every EV still uses a conventional 12-volt battery to wake the computers and close the high-voltage contactors, and if it is flat the car will not go ready no matter how much charge the traction battery holds. Other common causes are the charging cable still being plugged in, the car not being in Park, or a key fob with a dead cell. If none of those apply and another warning lamp is lit, the drive system has refused to go live and it needs a diagnostic.
Can you leave an electric car switched on by accident?: Easily, and most owners have done it. There is no engine noise to remind you, so the car can sit ready in a car park for hours with the climate control and screens running off the traction battery. Modern EVs usually shut down after a period unattended or when they detect the key leaving, but not all do, and a car left ready overnight can lose a meaningful amount of range.

This is general guidance, not a diagnosis. Manufacturers draw the same system differently and reuse symbols for more than one function, so check the handbook for your own car before acting on anything here.

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