All-new Dacia Spring pictured for the first time ahead of UK launch
Dacia has revealed the first details of the new Spring, which will become Britain’s cheapest electric car when it goes on sale later this year.
Set to cost less than £20,000, the second-generation Spring is the first in a wave of more affordable small EVs expected to arrive over the next two years. Dacia, which is famous for its budget-friendly range, says it wants the Spring to make electric motoring accessible to a wider audience.
At just 3.7 metres long, the SUV-inspired Spring is an A-segment alternative to city cars like the Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10, but Dacia says it offers the carrying capacity of cars in a segment above. It’s also the only electric car on the market that weighs less than a tonne, tipping the scales at 984kg.
With only the roof carried over from the previous generation, the new Spring takes design inspiration from the rugged new Duster, with chunky, squared-off lines, black plastic body cladding and a slightly raised ride height.
Dacia says the car’s simple design is about creating a robust look that’s easy and cheap to maintain. The lower protective panels on the doors give a tough look but are also cheap and easy to replace if they suffer car park dings. Likewise, the lack of chrome trim or expensive alloy wheels stick to Dacia’s focus on value.
Inside, the interior is completely new, with higher quality materials and components, including white trim panels to create a modular look. All versions get a seven-inch customisable digital instrument display, with a 10-inch touchscreen available in top-spec Extreme trim. Like the Duster, the Spring features a ‘YouClip’ accessory system for mounting phones and storage bags. There’s also a three-in-one attachment combining cup holder, bag hook and a portable light, and a 3D-printed cupholder for the centre console.
Despite its small footprint, the Spring has a class-leading boot capacity of 308 litres and an optional 35-litre storage space under the bonnet.
With its focus on affordability rather than performance, the Spring’s technical specifications are relatively modest but Dacia says data from the first-generation car shows they match users’ needs while keeping costs down.
Entry-level cars have a 44bhp motor, while a more powerful 64bhp option is available. Both versions use a 26.8kWh battery which Dacia says will return up to 137 miles of driving between charges. Energy efficiency is an impressive 4.25 miles/kWh thanks to the Spring’s small size and light weight, as well as newly introduced regenerative braking.
The Spring features 7kW AC and 30kW DC charging, which can take the battery from 20% to 80% in 45 minutes. For the first time, the Spring also features bi-directional V2L charging to power external devices via the car’s charge port.
Full pricing will be confirmed in March but Dacia has previously indicated that the Spring will cost less than £20,000 in the UK. Only the Citroen Ami costs less and with its 8bhp and 48-mile range, that is technically a quadricycle rather than a car.
Specifications are being kept simple, with three trims – Essential, Expression and Extreme. All cars come with cruise control, electric front windows, rear parking sensors, remote central locking, speed limiter and a Media Control system for connecting and controlling a smartphone.
Expression adds manual air conditioning and larger wheels, at 15 inches, while Extreme trim steps up the rugged aesthetic and equipment levels. There are patterned decals for the exterior along with copper-coloured trim and rubber floor mats. It also benefits from a 10-inch infotainment screen with wireless phone mirroring and sat nav, V2L charging and electric mirrors and rear windows.
The first-generation Spring has already been a hit in mainland Europe, where it has been on sale as the continent’s cheapest EV since 2021. In total it has sold more than 140,000 units worldwide since its launch.
