One of the big topics of debate in the car industry over the past few years has been when we would start to see ‘affordable’ EVs on the market. Now, while definitions of affordable may vary, we doubt it can be disputed that the new Dacia Spring fits the bill. Not only the cheapest full EV (excluding Citroen’s Ami quadricycle) in the UK, but with a range starting price of £14,995, one of the cheapest new cars full stop.
If you’re looking for the catch, then with that cheapest model it’s a pretty obvious one, since its electric motor only produces 45hp. Happily, for only an extra £1,000 you can upgrade to a 65hp motor, while a further £1,000 on top of that will get you the range-topping Extreme equipment grade tested here.
All Springs come with an official WLTP combined range of 140 miles – well down on the 200+ seen from other small EVs, yet alone the 300+ from larger cars. Dacia makes the claims you’d probably expect it to about Spring drivers averaging 23 miles a day and this range therefore being more than enough – how much credence can be afforded to this will of course depend on individual usage requirements. A maximum 30kW DC charging speed is also down on most other EVs.
Performance and drive
Officially, the 65hp Spring can get from 0-62mph in 13.7 seconds, but around town and on B-roads it doesn’t feel as slow as that figure suggests, helped by the usual instant EV throttle response and torque. In fact, around town we’d call it fairly nippy. The throttle needs to be worked a bit harder at higher speeds, but the Spring never struggles to keep up with traffic, and is quite happy operating at 70mph on the motorway.
One niggle we do have is the gear selector, which doesn’t have a ‘park’ option, and is quite fiddly to get back into neutral at the end of a drive. It also feels anachronistic for an EV to have a steering column-mounted key slot, and a traditional manual handbrake – we forgot the latter a few times when attempting to pull away.
The Spring’s steering is very light and slowly geared, taking more than three full turns lock to lock. Dacia boasts of the model’s tight turning circle, which is useful in low-speed manoeuvring. The steering doesn’t however inspire much confidence to corner at higher speeds, and confidence drops even further when you feel the body start to lean and remember how relatively tall and narrow it is. You’d be braver than us to push this car hard on a twisty road – and we expect the vast majority of drivers won’t be interested in that anyway, spending most of their time with the sort of urban operations for which the Spring is far better suited.
That aforementioned height will also likely be welcomed by many, since it gives an elevated driving position, which as well as offering a good view of the road also makes it feel like you’re driving something larger than a city car (the Spring is only 3.7 metres long).
As for comfort, the ride isn’t particularly sophisticated, but benefits from the Spring having relatively small wheels by modern standards, and also a kerb weight of less than one tonne – impressive for an EV. Cabin soundproofing does however leave a bit to be desired.
Design and practicality
That refinement issue is likely due in part to the interior trim, which as you’d expect from such a budget-focused model is all hard plastics. But that doesn’t mean it’s boring to look at, with some funky styling touches, white trim flashes and copper-coloured air vent detailing with Extreme spec. We’re a bit less convinced by the copper colour on the door mirrors of our test car, but still like quirky exterior touches like the lower front and rear ‘grilles’ – actually stickers, making them cheap and easy to replace.
One thing the Spring’s budget price doesn’t equal is sparse equipment levels, at least not with the Extreme grade. You get a pretty good 10in touchscreen with sat-nav and Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, a driver display, cruise control and even a reversing camera.
The place where the Spring is most obviously a city car is in the back, where legroom is pretty tight even behind an average-sized driver, and adults will also likely find their hair brushing the roof. However, despite having quite a high lip, the boot is actually pretty decent (its 308-litre capacity is better than some superminis).
The Spring undoubtedly has its limitations, and there will be many who need a bigger car, or one with a greater battery range, who therefore need to look elsewhere. However, we can’t see any other major flaws, and given the remarkable value for money it offers – several thousand pounds cheaper to buy than potential alternatives – we’d expect it to find plenty of success.
Positive: Great value for money, light weight, better design and equipment levels than expected
Negative: Restricted range, tight rear legroom
Standard equipment: 7in driver display, Media Control smartphone link with USB port, air conditioning, cruise control, speed limiter, rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition with speed alert, lane change alert, lane keep assist, driver attention warning.
Engines: Electric: 45hp, 65hp
Equipment grades: Expression, Extreme
Transmissions: Single-speed automatic
| Model | Dacia Spring Extreme Electric 65 |
| P11D | £16,940 |
| Residual value | TBC |
| Depreciation | TBC |
| Fuel | TBC |
| Service, maintenance and repair | TBC |
| Cost per mile | TBC |
| Range | 140 miles |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 0g/km (2%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £6/£11 |
| Luggage capacity | 308 litres |
| Battery size/power | 26.8kWh/65hp |
| Score | 8/10 |
