Dacia shows off new Spring electric hatchback – and it could be UK’s cheapest new EV

Dacia has unveiled what is set to be Britain’s cheapest brand new electric car.

The Spring has been a huge success in Europe since it launched in 2021 with 140,000 sales to its name, but the car has never been sold in the UK.

Now, the Romanian brand has comprehensively updated the car with new styling inside and out, and the Spring will be offered in UK dealerships this year.

The new Spring features a compact 28.8kWh battery – considerably smaller than on most of the current crop of electric vehicles – which will return a range of up to 137 miles, regardless of trim.

Dacia says that this range is ‘more than sufficient’ for customers, who travel 23 miles per day on average. Plus, at 984kg in top specification, the Spring is the only electric vehicle in Europe which comes in at under one tonne.

Because of the small size of the battery, it can be charged from a standard domestic plug in 11 hours or in just four hours when using a 7kW charger. It can fast charge at speeds of up to 30kW, too, which drops that 20 to 80 per cent charge time to 45 minutes.

The Spring also features bi-directional charging, which means that the car can be used as a power supply for other electrical devices. A special adapter – plugged into the car’s charging connected under the front grille – allows it to be used as a conventional socket.

Exterior-wise, the Spring has been designed to offer a ‘robust’ feel according to Dacia, with lower-door side protectors being light and easily replaceable in case of damage while no chrome has been used on the exterior to reduce ‘further impact on the environment’. The Spring will also be available in six exterior colours.

Inside, all versions get a digital dashboard as standard, while higher trim levels will also get a 10-inch infotainment system. The Y-shape design – which is also used in the lights – is located in the centre of the air vents while the ‘central decorative accent’ on the instrument panel changes colour depending on the specification.

Dacia has said full UK specification and pricing information will be shared in March. A £15,500 starting price is rumoured, which would uncut the forthcoming Citroen e-C3 and make the Spring the UK’s cheapest