Dacia Spring budget EV now built in right-hand drive
Door opens for Europe’s cheapest electric car to be sold in Australia, possibly as entry-level Renault EVThe 2023 Dacia Spring will soon be available in right-hand drive, opening the door for one of Europe’s most affordable electric cars to be sold in Australia – possibly with a Renault badge.
Local importer Ateco has been in discussions with the Renault Group for some time over distributing the Renault-owned Romanian Dacia brand – and reviving the Alpine sports car brand – in Australia over the next few years as new and improved models become available.
Ateco’s main focus has been on next-generation versions of the Dacia Duster small SUV, the Bigster mid-size SUV and the Oroch dual-cab ute, having previously ruled out the Spring light SUV as a prospect.
However, the shift to right-hand drive production and Dacia’s promise of “several significant improvements in design and equipment” for the Spring before it reaches the UK market could herald a rethink as EV sales – and demand for affordable models in particular – skyrocket in our market.
The Springer is priced from just €15,800 ($A26,000) in France, or just €10,800 ($A17,800) after EV incentives are taken into account.
When launched in 2021, the pint-sized crossover was heralded as Europe’s cheapest electric car.
Measuring just 3734mm long, the Euro-spec Spring uses a modest 26.8kWh battery that provides a WLTP-verified driving range of 225km.
Topping up from 0-80 per cent with a 30kW DC charger is claimed to take an hour, while a 7.4kW AC wallbox takes five hours for a full charge.
The Spring is powered by a single electric motor that produces 32kW and 125Nm of torque. Top speed is limited to 126km/h.
Those figures could all improve as the Spring EV will be upgraded for the UK launch.
Inside, the current Spring is said to seat four adults comfortably.
Much of the cabin matches the Indian Renault Kwid, and that’s no bad thing as there’s an optional 7.0-inch infotainment system that runs Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and displays the reversing camera.
Other equipment includes a 3.5-inch digital trip computer in the instrument cluster.
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.
Related: VFACTS June: Tesla Model Y EV outsells Ford Ranger ute
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Related: Alpine and Dacia still on the cards for Oz
Related: Dacia Duster, Bigster and Oroch for Australia
Related: Five feisty Dacia models we’d love to see here
Related: Dacia Spring launches as Europe's cheapest EV
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