Electric cars are great but they cost too much. That’s the biggest complaint when it comes to drivers picking the best EV. Well, that is changing. Dacia has just announced that it’s budget SUV will cost from just £14,995 when it comes to the UK later this year.
Pre-orders of the Dacia Spring start on 12th March and if its popularity in Europe is anything to go by, this is likely to be a big seller. Dubbed a city SUV, the Spring is no super-mini. This is a five-door vehicle with a decent 308-litre boot space (plus a 35-litre space under the bonnet) and a five-star NCAP safety rating.
This thing isn’t built for speed, as it comes with either a 45hp or 65hp motor, giving you a maximum 0-62mph of 14 seconds. Another thing the Dacia Spring won’t do is resolve that range anxiety. It comes with a 26.8kWh battery and can do a maximum range of 137 miles. In a market that has seen typical SUV ranges soar above 300 miles, that doesn’t seem much but for a city car, it’s probably all that you need.
Dacia has found that the average mileage of its Spring drivers is just 23 miles per day, which means that it only needs recharging a couple of times a week. For anyone with a home EV charger that plugs in each night, 137 miles is more than enough for most commutes and quick trips around town.
The standard 7kW charger will charge the battery from 20% to 100% in just four hours. Or you can use the included charging cable that plugs straight into a three-pin socket for charging in around 11 hours. There’s no support for the faster 11kW or 22kW home chargers.
When it comes to fast charging, the Spring can accept DC charging at up to 30kW, which thanks to the small battery means 20% to 80% in around 45 minutes. That’s not much longer than it takes to recharge some large battery EVs on your standard UK fast chargers.
Inside, the Dacia Spring offers some impressive tech for the money. There’s a 7-inch driver display behind the wheel and a 10-inch touchscreen centre display, which not only includes real-time traffic navigation but also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
This car is a refreshing change for EVs, offering a relatively compact and lightweight vehicle (it weighs less than a ton) for sensible money. For those that need a cheap city runaround, the Spring appears more than sufficient with its range and at this price is likely to be a popular choice.
The Dacia Spring is priced from £14,995 as a mid-range Expression or top trim Extreme. Pre-orders are open now via the Dacia website.
