Dacia has revealed the second-generation Dacia Spring, an all-new compact electric car expected to cost less than £18,000 in the UK.

Built in Europe and offering up to 155 miles of WLTP range, the new Dacia Spring has been designed as a simple, affordable electric car for commuting, town driving and everyday journeys.

It marks the first of four new fully electric vehicles planned by Dacia as part of the manufacturer's electric vehicle strategy through to 2030.

Here is what UK drivers need to know.

What is the new Dacia Spring?

The new Dacia Spring is a small, fully electric A-segment car and the second generation of Dacia's entry-level EV.

Despite retaining the Spring name, Dacia says virtually everything else has changed.

The new model is built on Renault Group's RG-EV Small platform, is 18cm wider than its predecessor and benefits from a completely redesigned exterior and interior. It will also be manufactured in Europe at Renault Group's Novo Mesto plant in Slovenia.

The original Spring has sold more than 210,000 vehicles across over 40 countries since 2021, with the new model looking to build on that success.

How much will the new Dacia Spring cost in the UK?

Dacia anticipates that every version of the new Dacia Spring will cost less than £18,000 before any potential government subsidies.

Full UK pricing and specifications are still to be confirmed.

If that pricing is confirmed, the Spring could become an interesting addition to the growing number of lower-cost electric cars entering the UK market.

What is the range of the new Dacia Spring?

The new Dacia Spring has a 27.5kWh usable LFP battery, providing up to 155 miles of WLTP combined range.

Power comes from a 60kW (80hp) electric motor producing 175Nm of torque. The Spring can accelerate from 0-62mph in 12.1 seconds and has a top speed of approximately 81mph.

Those figures make its intended use fairly clear: this isn't an EV designed around huge batteries or long-distance motorway driving. Instead, the focus is on efficiency and the shorter everyday journeys made by many UK drivers.

Dacia says owners of the previous Spring covered an average of just 13 miles per day, with 75% of charging taking place at home.

For drivers with a similar routine, a 155-mile WLTP range could mean charging relatively infrequently.

How long does the new Dacia Spring take to charge?

A 6.6kW AC onboard charger is included as standard.

Using a 7kW home charge point, Dacia quotes a 15-80% charging time of 2 hours 55 minutes.

An optional Charge Pack adds an 11kW AC charger alongside 50kW DC rapid charging, allowing the battery to charge from 15-80% in approximately 28 minutes using a compatible rapid charger.

The Charge Pack also introduces Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability, allowing the Spring's battery to power compatible external electrical equipment, such as lights, e-bike batteries or even a coffee maker.

Is the new Dacia Spring practical?

Despite its compact dimensions, practicality appears to have been an important part of the redesign.

The new Spring measures 3.85m long and 1.74m wide, excluding its mirrors, and offers up to 337 litres of boot space.

Fold the rear seats and capacity increases to 1,283 litres. An optional 18-litre front storage compartment, or 'frunk', also provides somewhere to keep charging cables and smaller accessories.

Its compact dimensions are complemented by a 4.95m turning circle, which should make the Spring particularly well suited to urban driving and tight parking spaces.

What technology does the Dacia Spring have?

Dacia has kept the Spring relatively simple, but that doesn't mean it misses out on the technology drivers increasingly expect from a new car.

A 7-inch digital instrument display is standard across the range.

Journey models add a 10.1-inch central touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, connected navigation, real-time traffic information, charge scheduling, cabin pre-conditioning and vehicle tracking.

What Dacia Spring trim levels will be available?

The new Dacia Spring will initially have a straightforward two-model line-up: Expression and Journey.

Both versions use the same 60kW electric motor, 27.5kWh battery and standard 6.6kW AC charger.

Dacia Spring Expression

Standard equipment includes 15-inch wheels, electric front windows and mirrors, manual air conditioning, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors, an electric parking brake, Media Control, USB-C connectivity and a 50/50 split-folding rear seat.

Dacia Spring Journey

Journey builds on Expression with 16-inch wheels, a hands-free card, reversing camera, 10.1-inch Media Nav Live touchscreen, navigation and connected services, additional USB-C connectivity and upgraded upholstery.

How efficient is the new Dacia Spring?

One of the more interesting aspects of the Spring is its relatively low weight.

At 1,212kg, Dacia says the Spring is one of the lightest fully electric cars in its segment. Its official WLTP combined energy consumption is 12.7kWh/100km, equivalent to approximately 7.9kWh per 62 miles.

Rather than fitting an increasingly large battery to maximise range, the Spring takes a different approach: keeping the vehicle small and lightweight to reduce the amount of energy required in the first place.

Its 27.5kWh battery also uses LFP chemistry, which avoids the nickel and cobalt commonly used in some other EV batteries. Dacia is targeting an approximately 60% lower whole-life carbon footprint than equivalent internal combustion engine vehicles.

Who is the new Dacia Spring for?

The Dacia Spring won't suit every driver.

A 155-mile WLTP range and compact A-segment dimensions mean drivers regularly completing long motorway journeys may be better suited to a larger EV with a bigger battery.

But that isn't really what the Spring has been designed to do.

For commuting, school runs, local business journeys and everyday driving, its combination of a small battery, low energy consumption, useful boot space and anticipated sub-£18,000 price could make it a particularly interesting entry-level EV.

It could also provide another option for businesses looking at smaller electric company cars or organisations considering how EV Salary Sacrifice can make electric vehicles accessible across a wider range of employee budgets.

When will the new Dacia Spring be available in the UK?

Dacia has revealed the new Spring, but full UK pricing and specifications have not yet been announced.

The manufacturer has confirmed that the complete range is anticipated to cost below £18,000 before any applicable government support, with further UK details to follow.

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