The rise of the electric car has been peppered with some notable models. The Tesla Model S – the car that’s generally credited with starting the electric car boom – launched into the executive segment. Jaguar’s I-Pace and Audi’s e-tron were both early launchers and both pushed high quality and high prices.
From the early electric car models, it was only really the revolutionary BMW i3 that broke the mould with a slightly experimental feel. It was announced at around £25,000 which at the time, sounded expensive for what you got, but in electric car terms, was a steal.
Through the past decade of electric car launches, the criticism has always been that they are too expensive. It’s hard to get drivers to switch to EVs when they can’t afford them and when combustion versions are so much cheaper.
Car manufacturers are well aware of this problem and while the adoption of EVs has been pretty good (although, subject to close scrutiny and debate) the cost barrier remains. Over the past couple of years there’s been increasing noise about what comes next, the electric car models that will be affordable to many more people.
For Tesla that might come in the form of the Tesla Model 2, while we’re also going to see the VW ID.2, the Citroën ë-C3 and cars like the Dacia Spring.
The Dacia Spring is expected to cost less than £20,000
Dacia has something of a reputation. Depending on which side of the argument you sit, Dacia was either made or destroyed by Top Gear’s constant jibes. The only thing worse in the world than being talked about, is not being talked about, said Oscar Wilde, and for all the ridicule directed at Dacia, it certainly put the brand on the map.
Dacia has, for nearly 25 years, been a Renault brand, and cars like the Duster have been hugely popular. The Dacia Spring launched into Europe in 2021 and 140,000 Spring models have been sold so far. Coming to the UK – with a price under £20,000 – it will likely become one of the most attractive affordable EVs available.
IMAGE CREDIT: DACIA
The concept behind the Dacia Spring focuses on affordable electric motoring. It’s designed for short-range trips, the sort of trips that make up the majority of journeys – the supermarket, commuting, perhaps the school run. It’s not designed as a grand tourer, it’s not designed to challenge your SUV, it’s designed replace a compact city car.
Keep that in mind, because the Dacia Spring will come with a 45 or 65hp motor, a 26.8kWh battery, and charging at up to 30kW. The range is cited at “over 137 miles”, while the acceleration of 0-62mph in “less than 14 seconds”, falls into the realms of usable rather than exciting.
But that’s the point: reducing the power reduces the load on the battery. That allows a lower capacity battery which keeps the weight down and the costs down. The trade-off is the excitement of the drive, but if you’re after cheap short range electric driving, that’s likely to be the compromise you’ll have to make.
While the looks might not set the pulse racing, there’s a playful feel to things, with protection around common damage points and the option for alloy wheels. The interior too gets some interesting tech, with all models getting a 7-inch driver display and top trim (Spring Extreme) gets a 10-inch central display.
IMAGE CREDIT: DACIA
The latter will support wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but it also comes with satnav for a complete solution. Opt for a lower trim (Spring Essential or Expression) and you’ll be using your phone instead, thanks to the Bluetooth connection, stereo speakers and steering wheel controls.
Then there’s the YouClip system. This places several attachment points around the interior of the car, where YouClip accessories (which you can buy from Dacia) can then be slotted into place to customise your car to your liking – and that includes things like a phone holder with an induction charger, for example.
The final UK price for the Dacia Spring is yet to be confirmed, but order books in the UK will open from 12 March 2024.
