If you have been waiting for an affordably priced EV to join the electric revolution, here is your chance; Dacia has released its 2021 Spring Electric which starts at €16,990 only in Europe, with interesting specs. Depending on your country, you can even pay less based on government incentives.
The Dacia has a respectable 26.8 kWh battery, giving it a range of 183 miles when you restrict yourself to city speeds. The battery will take 14 hours to charge to 100% on a normal household outlet but you can cut that down to 5 hours on a 7.4 kW home wallbox. Using a public charging station will get you from 10% to 80% in less than an hour. Using Dacia’s smartphone app, you can monitor charge levels and estimated driving range. You can also precondition the car with the app.
The Dacia Spring will be offered in three different versions, loaded with corresponding features list: the consumer mode which is basically the normal version you will probably buy, business mode for rental and ride-sharing companies with stain-resistant seats and more rugged handles and mirrors and a mini cargo van version which has the back seats removed and plastic lining on the floor, along with a wire mesh behind the front seats.
Stepping inside the car, you are immediately reminded of the price tag by the interior. There is no attempt at stylishness here, however, riders will have a comfortable ride, thanks to spacious headroom and legroom. Cargo space is split into 23 litres in the ‘frunk’ and 290 litres in the boot. There is manual air conditioning to help you stay cool on hot days. If you decide to upgrade, you will get a small luxury in the 7 inch main display that lets you do multimedia and use the sat-nav option. Apple Carplay and Android Auto, power adjustable mirrors and an extra wheel can also be added as options.
On the outside, the Dacia Spring looks like what it is; a compact SUV. It bears some semblance to the Duster, a petrol powered predecessor. You will find the charging port on the front, placed under the Dacia logo.
Dacia has given thought to your safety as anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, six airbags, emergency call (SOS button), automatic headlight activation and automatic emergency braking are standard.
You can preorder the business version right away, but you will have to sit on your money until March 20 to order the consumer edition. The Cargo light version will arrive in 2022.