At almost half the price of the next cheapest electric car, the Dacia Spring is a bare-bones city commuter – but it could prove the adage ‘less is more’.
The latest electric car to go on sale in the UK is almost 45 per cent cheaper than its closest competitor.
The 2024 Dacia Spring has been priced from £14,995 – or $AU29,000 – making it almost half the cost of the next cheapest electric vehicle, the Vauxhall Corsa.
As Renault’s Romanian budget brand, Dacia appears to have taken the market by surprise with the low price of the Spring – previously promising it would introduce a sub-£20,000 electric car to market.
For less than £15,000, buyers get a 33kW electric motor powered by a 26.8kWh battery, sending the sub-1000kg vehicle to 100km/h from a standstill in a leisurely 19 seconds.
Claimed driving range on a charge is quoted at up to 220 kilometres.
Despite being almost £5000 more expensive on the continent, the Spring is also the cheapest electric car on sale in Europe, priced from €23,000 ($AU38,000).
While the driver gets a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, the entry-level model doesn’t have an infotainment screen – but does have a mount to secure a smartphone.
Buyers willing to spend another £16,995 can get the range-topping Extreme model, which comes with a 48kW electric motor, copper-coloured trim, electric windows, and a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
However, shipping costs would likely bring the price closer to $40,000 to compete with the likes of the MG 4 and BYD Dolphin, which are priced from $38,890 and $39,990 before on-road costs, respectively.