There is certainly a deafening cry across internet forums, comment sections and – dare we say it – technical websites For more affordable electric vehicles. Until now, passenger cars with battery packs and electric motors have been expensive, their value drops at a shocking rate, and they usually leave anyone counting the money at the end of each month.
“Electric vehicles are for the rich!” It’s a widespread, often shouted sentiment, but things are changing and the Dacia Spring, which I recently drove, is the perfect embodiment of this impending sea change.
Manufactured by budget European brand Renault dah-chee-ah (originally from Romania), is on sale in select European countries from late Spring 2023, but has recently hit the forecourt in the UK, with prices starting at just £14,995 (about $19,000 / AU$30,000) .
It’s not available in the US yet, but if it were, based on those conversions it would quickly enter the top three cheapest cars on sale. This is a particularly commendable effort as all of its nearest cut-price rivals (Mitsubishi Mirage and Nissan Versa) have relatively cheap internal combustion engines.
Discounted things like the recently revised Renault Twizy and the modest Citroen Ami (they’re both technically classified). quadricycleAnyway), the Dacia Spring is the best-value electric vehicle currently on sale almost anywhere outside China and Southeast Asia… and that includes Leapmotor’s ultra-cheap T03 model.
All this talk about sticker price is important, because that’s the lens through which the Dacia Spring needs to be viewed. This EV won’t be for everyone, but it will be great for those who want emissions-free motoring on a budget.
cheap and cheerful
Let’s get some facts and figures first, shall we? The Dacia Spring weighs just 951kg, which is in the same league as the smaller Toyota Aygo
Road noise is wild at anything above 50 mph and it zips around corners like a cruise ship in rough seas, but it’s hard not to like it.
This featherweight construction means it only requires a 26.8kWh battery pack, which is half the size of even the smallest EVs currently on sale. When paired with the front-wheel-mounted 33kW single motor in the cheapest versions, it manages a 0-62mph ‘sprint’ time of 19.1 seconds. top speed? 78 mph.
The slightly more powerful 65 version bumps the motor to 48kW, but that slows things down only a little. This is no long-range cruiser, as the official range is just 140 miles and any long highway trips use up energy at a very fast pace.
Instead, the Dacia Spring is designed to thrive in busy urban environments, where its compact proportions and ridiculously light steering make it easy to keep on the road and park in awkward spots.
That said, I had to take the Spring on a lazy motorway journey and it was fine as long as you don’t mind cruising at 65mph and charging the battery for each mile traveled. A one percent drop in the indicator gets used to.
full of surprises
The only color that comes as standard on the Dacia Spring in the UK is Polar White, everything else costs an extra £650 – or 4% of the asking price. Dacia also has a number of ‘Euclip’ accessories which require additional expense.
Charging speeds on the public network are extremely slow, but the battery is small enough that it doesn’t take longer than most to get 20-80% charged.
These include things like cup holders, phone holders, and hooks to keep the bag in place. The option to spend a little extra on these is worth it, as the extra niceties inside the cabin are thin on the ground, to say the least.
Almost everything is made of scratchy plastic, the seats aren’t particularly comfortable and there’s barely enough room in the back for tiny humans. But it all works, and it’s made from materials that look like they’ll withstand abuse.
However, the Dacia has electric front windows, electrically adjustable door mirrors and – perhaps most importantly – a 10-inch infotainment screen that offers wireless. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It’s not the most responsive screen, but it’s bright and extremely easy to use. During my tenure DAB radio had a tendency to dip in and out of reception and the built-in navigation (provided by here) is not worth the trouble. Plug in the smartphone and take yourself to Waze or google maps,
There’s even a reversing camera and all-round parking sensors to assist with tricky manoeuvrings, while lane-keep assist, driver attention warning and speed limit detection tick all those annoying active safety systems that a modern Must be in the car. Thankfully, you can turn them off with a button.
keep it simple
As a vehicle for joyfully hacking around the city, it’s very difficult to find fault with the Dacia Spring. It weaves in and out of traffic with ease, moves into tight parking spaces without complaint and pulls away from traffic lights faster than most other cars.
Take it onto the motorway and efficiency drops, but not as bad as I initially imagined.
Charging from a 7kW wall-box at home takes just four hours, or you can simply plug it into a household socket and the smaller batteries are full in eleven hours – eliminating the need to install a wallbox for many people. It happens.
Charging speeds on the public network are very slow (maximum speed is 30 kW), but the battery is small enough that it doesn’t take long to get 20-80% charged… you will just charge more often.
Plus, it means owners can use much cheaper, lower-power charging networks to save on monthly bills.
The Spring is incredibly efficient around town, where the mild regenerative braking system (no option to adjust) recharges the battery as the vehicle slows down. There’s very little weight to move, so the motor isn’t always overworked as is the case with heavier EVs.
Take it onto the motorway and efficiency drops, but not as bad as I initially imagined. Even in freezing conditions, I managed to travel 70 miles without stopping. Plus, the entire trip cost me about £12 ($15 / AU$23) thanks to those cheap slow charging outlets.
Sure, when you slam the door it sounds like it’s been cut from a baked bean can, the road noise above 50mph is wild and it’s like a cruise in rough seas around corners. Rolls like a ship, but it’s hard not to like.
The Dacia Spring is simple, fuss-free motoring at its finest, with everything you really need to get out on the road, without any extra niceties that drive up the asking price. For example, lease deals in the UK can be done for less than £130 per month (about $164 / AU$255).
opposite of equally beautiful Hyundai InsterWhich is great but a little expensive, the Spring represents the affordable electric motoring that many people are crying out for.
This means it has already become the third best-selling electric vehicle for retail customers in Europe, and deservedly so.
