Originally the class E 10 units were delivered in cobalt blue express train livery, the blue indicating that they were cleared for a maximum speed of or more. Starting in 1974, as part of other maintenance, the new ocean blue/beige colour scheme was applied to the locomotives. From 1987 the (then-current) orient-red was used, which was then substituted, starting in 1997, with the traffic red ("verkehrsrot") concept, which is the current colour of all active locomotives of this class, barring a few exceptions.