Dacia, a Romanian brand owned by the Renault Group, has launched the radically updated electric crossover-hatchback Spring for sale. It is currently the cheapest fully-fledged electric car in Europe, generously equipped with active and passive safety systems.
The premiere of the updated Dacia Spring took place in February, and yesterday the model’s configurators started operating on consumer websites in Europe. For example, in Germany, the base model of the Dacia Spring Essential 45 starts at €16,900. The only cheaper electric cars on the market here are quadricycles – for example, the Opel Rocks starting from €7,999. However, the Dacia Spring is a full-fledged vehicle that can be used on highways daily in all weather conditions.
The basic Dacia Spring Essential 45 comes with a single electric motor on the front axle with a power of 44 hp, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 19.1 seconds and reaching a top speed of 125 km/h. With a useful battery capacity of 26.8 kWh, it can cover 225 km on a single charge according to WLTP standards. The overall length of the electric vehicle is 3701 mm, with a wheelbase of 2423 mm. The interior accommodates four passengers, with a 308-liter trunk that expands to 1004 liters with the rear seat folded.
In terms of safety features, the Dacia Spring Essential 45 comes with six airbags, automatic emergency braking (AEB), road sign recognition, driver fatigue monitoring, lane-keeping assist, rear parking sensors, cruise control, and an emergency call button. The vehicle complies with the new GSR2 safety standards in Europe. In contrast, the Dacia Spring Essential 45 lacks features like air conditioning, rear door manual window regulators, manual exterior mirrors, a whole rear seat backrest, and a basic audio system with Bluetooth connection instead of a multimedia screen. Optional extras include a front trunk with a volume of 35 liters for €179, roof rails for €249, a 6.5-meter charging cable for €627, and various interior accessories ranging from €19 to €49 each.
The top-of-the-line Dacia Spring Extreme 65 starts from €19,900 in Germany, featuring a more powerful 65 hp electric motor, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 13.7 seconds. It offers a slightly higher range of 228 km on a single charge according to WLTP standards with a maximum charging power of 30 kW. Standard features include copper accents on the body and interior, air conditioning, a 10-inch touchscreen, electrically adjustable mirrors, pockets in the front seat backs, and other conveniences.
The Dacia Spring production still takes place in China, making its affordable prices possible. For comparison, the new Slovak-made Citroen e-C3 in Germany starts from €23,300, offering a larger size, more power (113 hp), and a longer range (42 kWh, 320 km on a single charge). The entry-level version of the Citroen e-C3 launching next year with a 200 km range and a price of €19,990 is still more expensive than the base Dacia Spring.
According to JATO Dynamics, in 2023, the Dacia Spring entered the top ten best-selling electric cars in Europe, with 59,186 units sold (+22% compared to 2022 sales).