Arek Dvornechcuck
Branding Expert
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
The futuristic T and the unique color palette stand out. When combined, they signify the company's forward-thinking nature.
The logo’s outer and inner arrows signify Rivian’s principles. R and A also have incomplete horizontal bars for uniqueness.
The unique feature is the shiny silver ring with a blurple color fill. These colors signify bravery, luxury, and passion.
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
Are you looking to understand what it takes to design electric car logos?
An effective logo is the cornerstone of your business’ marketing and branding efforts.
So, it needs to be unique enough to speak to your customers and portray the idea behind your brand.
Also check out my other article about logo design process—where I explain in detail what it takes to design a great logo.
What are the top electric car logos?
The best way to understand what a good logo should look like is by reviewing the work of well-established competitors.
I have made the process easy for you by compiling the 10 best logos and highlighting their unique aspects.
Every detail about these logos is insightful, not only the colors and style but also the message conveyed.
So, you can be sure that this article will answer your questions, regardless of whether you’re starting a new business or revamping an existing one.
Before we begin, read my article on how to find the best logo for your business.
Let’s dive right into it.
Tesla is a world-famous American company that manufactures electric vehicles and energy-related products like batteries and solar panels.
The futuristic “T” on Tesla’s logo signifies an electric motor.
Tesla’s logo looks simple, but it’s not just about what meets the eye.
For instance, the logo’s initial design was intended to fit in a shield to symbolize safety (to the car user).
However, Tesla’s logo designers dropped the shield and opted for the stylized “T,” which is part of an electric motor’s cross-section.
Take a closer look for a better understanding; you’ll notice that the T’s second line resembles a section of a motor’s stator.
On the other hand, the emblem’s main body symbolizes one of the protruding poles from a motor's rotor.
Besides the resemblance to the motor, the letter also represents the company’s name.
Another unique feature of Tesla’s logo is the color palette—white and red.
Combining these colors highlights the electric cars' forward-thinking, if not revolutionary, nature.
Learn more about Tesla’s logo history
Rivian Automotive Company is an American-based electric car manufacturer focusing mainly on sports cars and pickup trucks.
The logo’s outer and inner arrows signify Rivian’s principles.
While the logo appears complex, it’s one of the simplest upon keenly reviewing it.
For instance, the arrows symbolize the principles and practices that guide Rivian’s operations.
Let’s talk about the two outer arrows—they represent the company’s goal to improve the world through innovation and adventure.
On the other hand, the inner ones stand for Rivian's fundamental aspiration to be motivating and welcoming to everybody.
As for the logotype, the letters “R” and “A” have incomplete horizontal bars for uniqueness.
Learn more about Rivian’s logo history
Karma is an automotive company based in California that manufactures unique, luxurious electric cars.
The company’s logo has a circular emblem for uniqueness.
The visual identity of the current logo is completely different from its predecessor.
It features a shiny silver ring with a distinct diagonal cut at its apex.
A blurple color fills the ring, with a faint orange and red border around it.
This makes the logo sleek, bringing out the feeling of bravery, luxury, and accuracy.
The orange and red colors on the borders symbolize Karma’s passion and determination.
The wordmark also stands out—the letters are in 3D with a glossy silver appearance.
Additionally, letter A has no horizontal bar, which is necessary for the logo to appear more crisp and clear.
Learn more about Karma’s logo history
Lucid Motors is an electric vehicle manufacturer based in California.
The company’s logo features a uniquely designed wordmark.
Unlike most logos which feature symbols, Lucid’s logo only has a wordmark.
The logotype features a unique uppercase sans-serif font with horizontally extended black letters.
This gives it a fashionable and refined look, exuding a sense of superiority and power.
Further, Lucid’s logo is monochrome; it appears either in black on white (on the official website) or with a classic silver (on the vehicles).
This classic approach will never go out of style or become irrelevant.
Lordstown Motors is an Ohio-based electric car manufacturer founded in 2018.
Lordstown’s logo has a hexagonal emblem with a lightning symbol.
From the appearance to the meaning of each logo’s detail, Lordstown appears to have one of the best electric car logos.
For instance, the main emblem is hexagonal, signifying the company’s endurance and that of its vehicles.
Within the hexagonal emblem is a lightning symbol, which denotes speed and power.
Another unique aspect of the logo is the wordmark—it’s in an uppercase custom san-serif font, which is bold for visual appeal and clarity.
This is supplemented by Lordstown logo’s dominant black color, which signifies quality and strength.
NIO is a Chinese car manufacturing company specializing in smart, high-performance electric cars.
NIO’s logo features two symbols, representing the company’s Chinese name.
The company’s Chinese name is Weilai, which means Blue Sky Coming.
At first glance, the top part of the symbol appears like an arc or a semi-circle.
However, it represents the sky, which signifies NIO’s future vision.
On the other hand, the bottom shape symbolizes forward momentum.
When you combine the two, it’s interpreted as “moving forward to the future’s vision.”
So, if you’re looking for insightful electric car logos, NIO should be on your list.
Learn more about NIO’s logo history
Faraday Future is a California-based electric car manufacturer founded in 2014.
The company’s logo is a double F symbol formed by eight lines.
It’s named after Faraday’s law of induction, the cornerstone of modern electric motor technology.
At first glance, you’ll notice that the logo appears like an upward-facing fish.
However, on a closer look, you’ll see eight lines that form a tilted double F symbol.
These letters represent the company’s name and the brand's future prospects.
Further, the top of the letters looks like an upward arrow, symbolizing a focus on progress and achievement.
Lastly, Faraday Future’s logotype also stands out, featuring a san-serif typeface for simplicity.
Nikola Corporation is an Arizona-based manufacturer of commercial electric vehicles powered by either rechargeable batteries or fuel cells.
Nikola’s logo features a hexagon with an inscribed “N.”
Several aspects of the logo stand out.
Let’s begin with the symbol—it’s hexagonal, taking the shape of graphite, which is one of the hardest substances.
So, the shape symbolizes strength and safety.
The letter “N” also features within the emblem, representing Nikola, the company’s name.
The top and bottom parts of the letter are cut to match the hexagon’s edges.
Lastly, it features a unique, custom font, with each letter having a special modification for visual appeal.
Polestar is a Swedish electric car manufacturer founded in 1996.
Polestar’s logo features a stylized polar star to signify sharpness and professionalism.
Before the current design, the company’s logo featured a blue vertical rectangle with the name inscribed at the base.
However, the current logo is more edgy, sharp, and professional.
For instance, it features a stylized polar star comprising two silver-gray arrowheads, with the tips facing each other.
Each arrowhead has two halves; one has a light gray shade, and the other has a darker shade.
This way, Polestar’s logo appears dynamic and light, better capturing the company’s spirit and mission.
When in use on a car, the logo appears crisper than on paper since it’s executed on a shiny metal surface.
Learn more about Polestar’s car logo history
Canoo is an Arkansas-based company that manufactures and sells electric cars and lifestyle vehicles.
Canoo’s logo takes the shape of its tail lights.
This company was founded in 2017 and operated as Evelozcity before the name change in 2019.
Several aspects of Canoo’s logo distinguish it from other electric car logos.
For instance, it takes the shape of the car’s tail lights, which appear like chemical bonds.
You can see this thanks to the strategically placed lines.
As we all know, chemical bonds are strong, so inscribing the name within the symbol signifies protection.
Lastly, the wide spacing between the wordmark’s letters gives the logo a distinctive look.
From the above logos, it’s clear that an effective logo design significantly increases your brand’s legitimacy and personality.
The logo acts as your company’s welcome mat; it’s what meets customers’ eyes when they visit your website and see your branding.
What makes a good logo?—The color, shape, style... —Yes! But primarily the idea behind it will determine whether your logo will stand out.
If you’re looking to hire a designer, just shoot me an email.
You can also get more inspiration from my article on the top luxury car logos.
