Dacia launches ‘UK’s most affordable new electric car’
The new Dacia Spring will have a launching price from j£14,995 on-the-road, making it the UK’s most affordable new electric car by a margin of thousands of pounds.
The price also places Dacia’s all-electric supermini comfortably inside the UK’s top 10 most affordable new cars, regardless of how they are powered.
The five-door supermini debuts in the UK with a choice of mid-range Expression or top-of-the-range Extreme trim levels and offers a range of up to 137 miles (WLTP mixed cycle) or 186 miles* (WLTP urban cycle).
The Spring comes with a choice of a 45 hp, or a more powerful 65 hp/48 kW motor, which coupled with its lightweight design that makes it the only fully electric car in Europe under one tonne, ensures good performance around town and on the open road.
Using its 7kW charger, the compact 26.8 kWh battery can be charged from 20 per cent to 100 per cent on a suitable domestic outlet in less than 11 hours, or in just four hours on a 7kW wall box.
Starting from Expression trim, available with the Electric 45 or 65 powertrain, standard equipment includes a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, height-adjustable 3-spoke steering wheel, Media Control system with USB port, speed limiter, cruise control, steering wheel mounted controls, central locking with remote control, electric front windows, rear parking sensors, 12V socket, manual air conditioning and 15-inch wheels (only on Electric 65).
The Extreme trim, exclusively paired to the Electric 65 powertrain, adds copper interior and exterior finishes, electric mirrors and rear windows, the Media
Nav Live multimedia system with 10-inch centre screen, two USB ports and wireless connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a bi-directional charger allowing you to use the Spring as a power source for external appliances.
The standard specification is further bolstered with the addition of new ADAS which meet the latest European Global Safety Regulation 2 (GSR2) safety standards. These include an advanced emergency braking system (with vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcycle detection), traffic sign recognition with speed alert, rear park assist, emergency stop signal, lane change alert, lane keep assist, driver attention warning, and emergency call (eCall).
To make life easier for drivers, Dacia has included a clever ‘My Safety’ button for rapid access to their preferred and personalised ADAS settings.
The new Spring offers the best storage volume in its class and betters the segment standard.
In fact, such is its luggage carrying capability – up to 1,004 litres with the rear seats folded down – it offers space on par with many vehicles in the segment above. Nearly 31 litres of storage space throughout the cabin, combined with Dacia’s clever YouClip system that allows various dedicated accessories to be attached practically and robustly, makes the all-new Spring perfect for funpacked family adventures.
Luke Broad, Dacia brand director for the UK, said: “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.”
The all-new Spring will arrive in the UK in October. Pre-orders are open now.