A variably illuminable display is provided for use with a vehicle having a regenerative braking capability with a detectable recharging rate. The display has a variable width, variable color, and variable intensity that are proportionately and continuously variable in response to the detected charging rate. The display is adapted to at least partially circumscribe a circular instrument gauge to thereby form an illuminable halo. A method is also provided for displaying the rate of energy transfer of a regenerative braking system aboard a vehicle, including detecting the recharging rate or rate of energy transfer of the regenerative braking process, communicating the detected recharging rate to a controllable display, and continuously varying at least one of the variable width, variable color, and variable intensity of the controllable display in proportion to the detected rate of energy transfer.