Dacia Spring could plug Renault’s EV gap

Renault Australia could have an unexpected solution to the gaping hole at the affordable end of its EV line-up in the form of the all-new Dacia Spring.

Revealed in Europe this month, the second-generation Spring is all-new compared to its predecessor.

It is based on Renault Group’s RG-EV Small architecture, offering up to 250km of WLTP range and priced below €20,000 ($35,000) across its European range.

Crucially, it is also being produced in right-hand drive for the UK, where pricing is expected to start below £18,000 ($40,000).

That combination makes the Spring an intriguing prospect for Australia, where Renault’s cheapest current passenger EV is the Scenic E-Tech Techno EV60 SUV at $55,990 plus on-road costs.

The Megane E-Tech compact hatch is currently sold out ahead of the arrival of a substantially upgraded version in the first half of 2027, leaving Renault without a lower-priced EV as Chinese brands increasingly push into the $20,000-$40,000 bracket.

There is also precedent for the Spring to come here as a Renault because its sister car, the Dacia Duster, has already gone through that process.

Renault Australia has made no commitment to bringing the Spring here, but importantly it isn’t ruling it out either.

“As always Renault Australia continues to assess the vast catalogue of vehicles available across Renault internationally. We consider all vehicles made available to us,” a Renault Australia spokesperson told carsales.

The Spring could be particularly relevant because Renault’s other obvious affordable new-generation EVs – including the Renault 5 E-Tech, Renault 4 E-Tech and upcoming Twingo – face a costly Australian homologation hurdle because of local child-restraint regulations.

Renault Australia has previously estimated modifying and homologating the Renault 5 to comply would cost about €3 million ($A4.9 million).

Unlike those five-seat Renaults, the new Dacia is designed as a four-seater, potentially eliminating the troublesome centre-rear seating position and associated top-tether requirement.

The second-generation Spring is also a considerably more substantial proposition than the bargain-priced original. Dacia says only the Spring name carries over.

Manufactured in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, rather than China, the Spring is 3850mm long and 1740mm wide. That’s 150mm longer and 180mm wider than its predecessor.

Power comes from a 27.5kWh usable-capacity lithium iron phosphate battery driving a 60kW/175Nm electric motor. Dacia claims 0-100km/h in 12.1 seconds and a 130km/h maximum speed.

Efficiency is rated at just 12.7kWh/100km, helped by a kerb weight starting at only 1212kg.

A 6.6kW AC onboard charger is standard, while an optional charging package adds 11kW AC capability and 50kW DC fast charging. Dacia claims a 15-80 per cent DC recharge takes about 28 minutes.

Vehicle-to-load capability is also available.

Boot capacity is rated at 337 litres, expanding to 1283 litres with the rear seat folded, while an optional 18-litre storage compartment under the bonnet provides somewhere to store charging cables.

European buyers will choose between Expression and Journey grades, both powered by the same battery and electric motor.

The Spring is a wait-and-see prospect for Australia, basically.

Renault Australia admits it has only limited sales prospects in Australia, so a decision to introduce a small car with limited profit margins would be a hard one to green-light.

That’s especially the case when BYD has just dropped the price of small EVs below $20,000.

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