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Renault has decided to move production of its budget electric vehicle, the Dacia Spring, from China to European facilities, which will allow buyers to receive French government subsidies. The starting price for the base version of the Spring is €17,900 ($20,789), but with the application of incentives for purchasing electric vehicles in France, the price drops to €12,200 ($14,169). In addition, Dacia has updated the model’s exterior, increasing its ground clearance and giving the body a sportier and more robust look.
Given the model’s target market, its technical specifications appear fairly modest. A 27.5 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery provides a range of 249.4 km under the WLTP cycle (equivalent to approximately 214 km under the EPA standard), so the car is primarily intended for city and suburban driving. For an additional €500, a 50 kW DC fast-charging feature is available, which allows the battery to be charged from 15% to 80% in about 28 minutes, whereas charging from a standard 6.6 kW outlet would take 9 hours. Dacia representatives noted that Spring owners typically drive about 33.8 km per day, and 75% of them charge their cars at home. The car’s performance remains unassuming, as it is equipped with an 80 k.s. powertrain with 174.9 N·m of torque.
Thanks to its refreshed exterior, the car no longer comes across as an overly cheap vehicle. An increase in length by 15 cm and width by 18 cm has made it look more substantial and spacious. Dacia has redesigned the front end of the body, adding sharper lines and angles, slightly widening the wheel arches, and incorporating dark trim elements at the front and rear.
The trunk capacity has increased from 308.7 liters to 337 liters, which is an excellent figure for the subcompact class. If you fold down the 50:50 split rear seat, the usable space increases to 1,282.7 liters. For entertainment and driver information, the Spring is equipped with a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch central touchscreen display, while also retaining numerous physical switches and controls for convenient tactile operation. The model supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, features a rearview camera and a keyless entry system; however, these options come at an additional cost of $1,500.
The Dacia Spring will be assembled in Slovenia at the plant in Novo Mesto – the same facility where Renault manufactures its Twingo E-Tech city electric car. Currently, the Spring is considered the cheapest electric car in Europe, taking into account subsidies, the amount of which varies depending on the country and household income.
The launch of the Spring has proven to be a successful move for Renault, as 210,000 units of this model have been sold worldwide since 2021. The car is expected to help Renault achieve its ambitious goal by 2030, when half of its sales are to consist of fully electric vehicles and the other half of hybrids. As a reminder, European regulations require a 90% reduction in vehicle fleet emissions by 2035 compared to 2021 levels.
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