Dacia steers ‘Europe’s most affordable electric car’ to UK

Dacia is readying to launch its Spring electric vehicle in the UK - and it could be the cheapest EV available to lease.

The Spring is a compact hatchback-SUV crossover that’s actually been on sale in Europe for the last couple of years without ever making it to British shores.

But that is all about to change when Dacia ships the Spring here next year.

Price wise, the Spring is expected to cost less than £20,000 to buy outright - which undercuts budget rivals like the MG4 EV by a good few grand. 

While precise details - and price - for the UK model are yet to be revealed, you’re looking at a vehicle that’s very much an urban commuter rather than a motorway mile-muncher.

In places like Germany, where it’s already available, the Spring has a small 27 kWh battery that gives it a range of up to 143 miles, according to Dacia.

For comparison purposes, that’s about on par with the MINI Electric hatchback and the Honda e - two cars that cost considerably more to lease.

Don’t expect the Dacia Spring to win any drag races. With modest amounts of power at up to 65 hp, the European version has a top speed of around 80 mph and will take longer than almost all EVs to reach 62 mph from a standstill.

But if you spend your days sitting in traffic on the way to work, speed might not be an issue, while affordability could be high on your list of priorities. Which is why the Dacia Spring might tick a lot of boxes for you.

Anyway, Dacia says the UK launch of the Spring will see the introduction of an ‘all new’ version which is ‘enhanced by several significant improvements in design and equipment’.

That means that it might come with power more akin to British roads and could be even more attractive than the Euro variant.

The Spring can be charged at home in around 3.5 hours.

Luke Broad, Dacia Brand Director for the UK, said: “We are thrilled that Dacia Spring will come to the UK in 2024. It will certainly be worth the wait! It will literally plug a gap in the UK electric car market for a highly usable, quality EV that won’t break the bank and which makes electric vehicle ownership more realistic than ever. With over 120,000 customers already sold on the Spring’s unbeatable, ‘no-nonsense’ blend of value, efficiency and durability, UK car buyers can look forward to an EV that’s perfectly aligned to their mobility requirements and, importantly, is done the Dacia way.”

Xavier Martinet, Dacia SVP Sales, Marketing and Operations adds: “Spring has democratised electric vehicle ownership in Europe, offering people the chance to enjoy sustainable driving without the often-associated price premium. I’m confident that Spring will be as popular in the UK as it has proved throughout the rest of Europe.”

Full details will be announced early next year, so we’ll report back when we have those details.

In the meantime, the cheapest Dacia to lease right now is the Sandero hatchback (below), which can be yours from £200 per month*.

And don’t forget the Dacia Sanderois a bona fide award winner, having recently been named the 2023 Auto Express Supermini of the Year, ahead of the Skoda Fabia and Toyota Yaris.

If you’re looking for the cheapest EV available to lease right now, look no further than the ORA Funky Cat, with prices starting from just £208 per month*.

We recently reviewed the Funky Cat and found it to be a ‘a very competent small electric car’. 

 *Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 07/07/23.

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