New Dacia Spring is surprisingly good

The new 2024 Dacia Spring is not perfect, but given its price is actually quite good.

With a starting price of 16.900 euros, it’s the cheapest electric car you can buy in Europe.

This small electric car comes in three variants.

• Essential (33 kW): 16.900 euros
• Expression (48 kW): 18.900 euros
• Extreme (48 kW): 19.900 euros

2024 Dacia Spring

Basic specs

• Seats: 4
• Length: 3.701 mm
• Width: 1.767 mm
• Height: 1.519 mm
• Wheelbase: 2.423 mm
• Turning circle: 4.800 mm
• Trunk capacity: 308 L - 1.004 L with the rear seats folded down
• Frunk capacity: 35 L
• Weight: 984 kg
• Wheels: 15-inch
• Starting price: 16.900 euros

Powertrain

• Electric motor: 33 or 48 kW
• Maximum speed: 125 km/h
• Range (WLTP): 220 km (137 miles)
• Battery capacity: 26,8 kWh
• Battery weight: 186 kg
• Battery chemistry: NCM
• DC fast charging: 30 kW - from 20 to 80 % in 45 minutes (600 euros option)
• On-board charging: 7 kW - from 0 to 100 % in 4 hours
• Consumption: 14,6 kWh/100 km

What’s most impressive is that it comes packed with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) to meet the latest European Global Safety Regulation 2 (GSR2) safety standards.

• Emergency braking system (with vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcycle detection)
• Traffic sign recognition with speed alert
• Rear park assist
• Emergency stop signal
• Lane change alert
• Lane keep assist
• Driver attention warning
• Emergency call (eCall)

The top variant even comes with V2L (vehicle-to-load) capability so you can use this electric car as a large powerbank on wheels.

👍 Pros

• ✅ Lightweight
• ✅ Great efficiency
• ✅ Has a frunk
• ✅ 5 doors (more than the Fiat 500e)
• ✅ Packed with ADAS
• ✅ The top variant comes with V2L
• ✅ Good looking
• ✅ Price

👎 Cons

• ❌ Low battery capacity
• ❌ Weak motor
• ❌ Slow charging

I really like what the Dacia Spring has become with this last update. It now comes packed with safety features and its efficiency is impressive. The V2L capability is extremely useful for people that often go to remote areas without electricity.

However, I think that it deserved a larger battery, not only to give it a little more range and stronger regenerative braking, but also to better use the handy V2L capability. A 40 kWh LFP battery would be perfect, no need for more in this kind of small and cheap electric car.

I also think that in Europe 11 kW (3-phase) on-board chargers should be standard by now and 22 kW (2 chargers in parallel) optional, even in small electric cars like this one.

Finally, head-up displays are such cheap equipment that greatly improve safety that carmakers should make them standard as soon as possible. Gladly, I do see them being used much more often lately.

Anyway, first deliveries are expected in last quarter of this year. What do you think?

More info:

https://media.dacia.com/new-dacia-spring-more-appealing-than-ever-still-as-electrifying

https://imprensa.renaultgroup.com/novo-dacia-spring-gama-e-precos-em-portugal