Dacia Spring aims to be cheapest EV sold in Europe

We’re used to seeing ultra-cheap battery electric vehicles rolled out by Chinese brands, but now Europe’s Dacia is getting into the act.

But there’s still a Chinese connection because the Dacia Spring is going to be sourced from China.

Dacia, a cut-price auto manufacturer founded in Romania, is owned by Renault and the French brand has a joint-venture going in China with Dongfeng.

Together they make a car in Hubei, China, called the Renault City K-ZE, which the Spring has sprung form.

Oh, by the way, the City K-ZE is in turn based on a car sold in India, Brazil and other markets called the Renault Kwid, which is actually petrol-powered.

Are you confused yet?

Well, the point of all this is Dacia is promising the Spring will be the cheapest EV on-sale in Europe.

How cheap? It could well be under 18,000 Euros, or about $30,000, when it launches in 2021, undercutting the likes of the Volkswagen e-Up!.

For that money, understandably, it won’t be delivering any cutting edge technology or performance.

Power comes from a 33kW/125Nm e-motor mated to a 26.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Dacia claims a WLTP range between recharges of 225km.

Top speed is 125km/h unless you opt for Eco mode when it drops to 100km/h.

Tick the box for the 30kW charger and a top-up from flat to 80 percent is claimed to take less than an hour. A 7.4kW wallbox, meanwhile, takes five hours for a full charge.

Like more expensive pure-electric cars, Renault’s budget brand will also offer owners a smartphone app that updates the charging status in real-time and allows the cabin to be pre-heated or cooled if you’ve paid extra for air-conditioning.

You can also option stuff such as smartphone connection and a large colour touchscreen in the dash.

Dacia says there will be two versions, one to move up to four people and one to move cargo. It measures up at 3734mm long, 1622mm wide, 1516mm high and has a 2423mm ground clearance. The passenger versions has 300 litres of boot space extending to 600 litres with the rear seat folded.

Sad to say the Aussie chances for the Spring are minimal, either as a Dacia or rebadged as a Renault. At this stage right-hand drive production isn’t even confirmed.

Should the Spring be sprung in Australia? Let us know your thoughts below.