As consumers search for cleaner and more affordable transportation options, the market share of electric cars continues to rise. Nevertheless, many current models of electric vehicles are prohibitively expensive, have short ranges, and few charging alternatives. And so Dacia, a Romanian automaker owned by the French-German Renault Group, has released the Dacia Spring, an affordable and environmentally friendly all-electric vehicle.
The Dacia Spring is a compact city car that takes cues from larger SUVs. It has a sporty yet playful exterior design, a roomy cabin, a huge trunk, and many safety and convenience amenities. It has a range of 225 km in the WLTP cycle (295 km in WLTP City), which is enough for a week of urban driving. In addition, its small battery (26.8 kWh) can be fully charged in less than five hours via wallbox or in under an hour via a fast charger.
The low price of the Spring, however, is what truly sets it apart. With a starting price in Europe of less than 20,000 euros, it is the most affordable fully electric vehicle currently available (including batteries). The electric motor and battery are guaranteed for eight years or 120,000 kilometers with no required maintenance, thus reducing operating expenses. And it may take advantage of the many government rebates and tax credits worldwide for electric automobiles.
The Dacia Spring electric car is designed to accommodate private buyers and new modes of transportation like ridesharing and last-mile delivery. Each market group can choose from a Dacia Spring tailored to their needs with various trim levels, optional packages, and accessories. The Dacia Spring Cargo, for instance, is a utility variant that swaps out the back seats for a flat loading area with a capacity of 800 liters and a payload of 325 kilograms. Car-sharing companies can take advantage of the Spring Car-Sharing version's smartphone accessibility, remote fleet management, and geolocation features.