Dacia has announced that its upcoming electric hatchback will be the cheapest full-size EV on the market when it goes on sale in the UK later in 2024.
The entry level version of the Dacia Spring will retail in the UK for just £14,995, making it around £10,000 cheaper than the Chinese-built BYD Dolphin, currently the most affordable electric car on the UK market.
Luke Broad, Dacia Brand Director for the UK, noted that the Spring’s low cost has already made it popular with buyers in Mainland Europe.
He explained: “Spring has played a key part in widespread adoption of EVs across Europe and, with a price that is even lower than speculated, we’re confident it will continue the success story in the UK.
“We have listened to the concerns of UK drivers regarding accessing EVs, ensuring it not only has an unprecedented price but affordability that doesn’t come at the expense of durability, equipment or usability. Quite simply, there’s no other new EV currently on sale that offers so much for so little.”
In its entry-level ‘Expression’ form, the Dacia Spring is hardly a luxury model, though still comes with manual air conditioning, rear parking sensors, cruise control with speed limiter and a seven-inch digital display.
Drivers looking for a little more from their Spring can opt for the higher-end Dacia Spring Extreme, which includes a larger 10-inch screen with smartphone mirroring, electric door mirrors, and copper-coloured accents on some parts.
All models will also feature a new advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS), which features emergency braking, traffic sign recognition and lane keep assist.
The basic Dacia Spring features a small electric motor that produces 45bhp in addition to a 26.8kWh battery pack.
Whilst this means the little Dacia is the only full-size electric car to weigh under one tonne, its modest power levels allow it to accelerate from 0-62mph in 19.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 78mph.
Nevertheless, buyers can spend £1,000 more to get a beefier 65bhp motor, which is more spritely off the mark, reaching 62mph in 13.7 seconds.
Despite the first deliveries in the UK not taking place until October 2024, Dacia are already anticipating that the Spring will be a success with customers.
To help encourage more drivers to place their order for one, early adopters of the Spring will also receive a £250 grant to go towards buying accessories, a home charger or funding public charging.
The company hope that the car’s low price will help to encourage more motorists to get behind the wheel of a fully electric model.
