Dacia Spring - as simple as it gets

The Romanian brand was founded in 1968 and built vehicles related to Renaults. Today it is part of the French group, and since 2004 it has been present throughout Europe and the Mediterranean countries. It is growing and operates in 44 countries. It consistently follows a strategy in which what counts is the price, paid for with simplicity of construction. The Dacia Spring fits this trend.

The Dacia Spring is a small zero-emission car. It is 373 cm long, 158 cm wide and 152 cm high. As a result the interior is limited, but you could not say it feels strikingly cramped. That is because the designers did without wide door panels, a protruding centre tunnel and other elements that could reduce the cabin space.

Eco mode, a spartan interior and range

The powertrain does not offer the three modes that seem to be standard in electric vehicles. The knob on the centre tunnel can be set to just one additional mode, 'eco'. It slows the already slow little car down even further, but saves a few precious electrons. The suspension is very springy and makes the body sway unpleasantly in corners. The 165/70 R14 tyres also play their part. The windscreen is cleared by a single wiper, aided by a single washer jet. The door handles are archaic, and the inside of the tailgate jars with its bare metal and has no handle of any kind. Admittedly, though, it lifts high and so poses no threat to your forehead and head.

The car lacks heated seats and a heated steering wheel, which are almost standard in electric cars. The interior is entirely plastic, and the seats are upholstered in leatherette. The only thing brightening up the black interior is a silver strip running along the inside of the doors.

By way of consolation, it must be added that the test car was fitted with electric front windows. The buttons are placed centrally, below the screen, rather than on the door panels. A pleasant surprise was the reversing camera, whose lens has recently been moved to a more convenient position at the rear of the body. The latest changes also include easier access to the charging socket, which supports two standards: AC and DC. Visually, the car has also been refreshed recently, with a new body colour and the brand's latest, more attractive logo.

The Dacia has a small 26.8 kWh battery, which even when fully charged does not allow for longer journeys. We managed to charge the Dacia to the point where it showed a range of 150-170 km. Dacia claims an achievable range of 230 km, and says that driving only in town, in optimum conditions, you can get more than 300 km.

Dacia's strategy and Spring sales

Do all these drawbacks mean that Dacia would be unable to make a 'proper' car? After all, it can draw freely on the resources of 'sister' brands such as Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi and even Infiniti. It seems, however, that this car was created deliberately, on the basis of a well-thought-out brand strategy. The brand says that Dacia has always offered cars with the best value for money and has constantly redefined what is truly essential. The design centres of this post-Romanian brand are supposed to create simple, versatile and at the same time durable and reliable cars. The strategy is paying off, as the model's sales show.

To date, Dacia has sold more than 8 million cars. Since the Dacia Spring's market debut, customers have placed more than 100,000 orders for the model. The Spring is number 3 among the electric cars most often bought by private customers in Europe.

Since April 2021, 1,000 Dacia Springs have already been ordered in Poland (348 units of the model were delivered in 2022). How is it possible that this car finds so many buyers while - seemingly - having so little to offer?

Dacia argues that the short range should not - statistically - matter, because data show that the Spring's average daily mileage is 31 km. The average driving speed of Spring customers is 26 km/h, and the lower the speed, the greater the range. With a kerb weight of just under a tonne, the Spring is the lightest of the 20 best-selling electric cars on the European market. The low weight is helped by a lightweight battery that weighs only 188 kg.

The Cargo version and test summary

Interestingly, a new Cargo version has been introduced, aimed at companies and the self-employed. Without the rear bench, it can take a maximum load of 1000 litres and 350 kg.

Sales of the small electric Dacia show that there is a large group of customers who do not expect 'fireworks' from a car, but want the certainty of getting from A to B around town. It seems the Spring can fill that role very well.