Enhancing E-Rickshaw Driving Experiences: Insights from User-Centric EV Dashboards in India

Three-wheeler E-rickshaws (E3W or E-rickshaws) are one of India’s most widely adopted electric vehicles (EVs) for short-distance transportation. These E-rickshaws have two different types of dashboards (Analog and Digital dashboards), which provide essential information needed to operate the vehicle like battery status, speed, and odometer. Hence, the design of the dashboards emerges as one of the critical factors influencing driving experiences and overall EV adoption. This study aims to identify the needs, barriers, and facilitators among the drivers in using different E-rickshaw dashboards in their everyday work. Using a qualitative approach involving observation and semi-structured interviews, 15 male drivers with varying E-rickshaw experience (mean age 42.93 years) were studied. Seven analog and eight digital dashboards from different models were analyzed. The findings reveal the significance of integrating analog and digital dashboards into E-rickshaws. Drivers emphasized accurate battery percentage information and timely low-battery alerts as crucial needs. Language barriers, inadequate visibility, technical complexity, lack of standardized dashboard layout, and absence of feedback were identified as design barriers. Accurate battery status and speed information were facilitators for digital dashboards, while familiar interface design and easy battery monitoring techniques were facilitators for analog dashboards. This study pioneers research in the Indian context, providing guidelines to enhance E-rickshaw dashboard designs for a more user-friendly experience. The insights gained offer valuable contributions to improving E-rickshaw technology, aligning it more closely with user needs and preferences.