Light, simple, compact:what the new Dacia Spring offers, the accessible electric that has conquered Europe

Dacia Spring, the "low cost" electric car from the Renault group that has conquered Europe:simple, light, compact (and awarded for its efficiency).

While the electric car market is taking worrying trends (in Europe "gigantism" is spreading with a worrying increase in size, weight and cost, a growth trend that has continued undisturbed for decades and which brings with it a series of problems, such as safety for pedestrians and cyclists and the taking away of public space from people), there are those among the producers who choose different paths.

Among these is the Dacia brand, founded in Romania in 1966 and part of the Renault group since 1999, which in relaunching its electric Spring (built in China, it will only be known in November whether or not it will be subject to the senseless duties proposed by Europe) does not give in to the temptation to increase its measures or change its basic contents.

But rather, while updating some features, it confirms the qualities that have made it one of the most appreciated and accessible electric cars in Europe (in Italy June it was the third best-selling electric car, after Tesla Model 3 and Model Y), thanks to a price starting from 17,900 euros, price destined to be greatly reduced by accessing the incentives, if only there were any left… (see further information below).

Accessible, light, efficient, circular. So the Dacia Spring yes has been awarded the 5 GreenNcap stars

That it hasn't changed too much can be understood by comparing it with the previous version, which we had already told you about in an article previous test drive.Dacia Spring remains true to itself:a compact electric vehicle, very suitable for urban mobility and which among its main characteristics, in addition to accessibility, lightness and compact dimensions, puts efficiency and sustainability in production processes first, certified by 5 stars (the maximum mark) assigned by the independent European body GreenNcap, a recognition that enhanced the efficiency of the production processes and the reduced weight of the Spring (984 kilos, the lightest electric in the category), synonymous with efficiency.What changes above all is the design, "more authoritative" as the Dacia style manager defined it.The anti-scratch bodywork protections on the bumpers and wheel arches are useful.No revolutions, let's be clear.More of an update, a mid-life "restyling" as the experts would say.

Interior:the simplicity remains, but design and features improve

But the evolutions are more tangible in the passenger compartment, where in addition to the usual simplicity, the "pragmaticity" of finishes and materials, Dacia Spring now offers new features, with a redesigned dashboard to accommodate, in addition to the digital dashboard with 7-inch display, a second display 10-inch central unit (on the previous version it was 7 inches) to manage all the main functions and a steering wheel which has improved accessibility to some controls and which now also adjusts in height.In the voice connectivity there's what you need:Bluetooth connection, a USB port, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto accessible wirelessly.

Colorful and practical:3D printed accessories

The first impression remains that of a simple, intuitive car, without frills in short (to open the rear windows on the basic trims you need the classic "crank").Simplicity that does not mean "banality", on the contrary:the available color variants allow you to customize the interior while some 3D printed accessories, (a drink holder, an organizer bag, a smartphone holder and a portable lamp) can be added and positioned in various points thanks to simple clip fastening systems.Simple seats, essential but comfortable enough;the rear habitability remains discreet while it significantly improves loading volume (the backrest behind can be folded down but not divisible);in this case among the options there is also a sort of plastic "tub" to be mounted under the front bonnet, useful for storing charging cables.

Dacia Spring:how security grows (and why it needed to be improved) 

The provision of driver assistance systems is improving, which is good news for at least two reasons.The first following the negative evaluations of the previous version of the Dacia Spring, which it had obtained in the EuroNcap tests 1 star only;the second to align with the new rules that come from Last July 7th provide that all new vehicles sold in Italy must be equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, a provision in line with the European regulation 2019/2144 in force from 6 July 2022 for newly approved models and from the aforementioned 7 July 2024 for all vehicles to be registered, even if already produced.The main objective of the provision is to reduce accidents and deaths on European roads.

Returning to the Dacia Spring, the various systems can now be selected more easily thanks to the "My safety" button, which allows you to configure the Adas (our invitation is to always keep them all active for maximum safety):automatic emergency braking with recognition of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes, traffic sign recognition with warning of exceeding the speed limit, rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, lane keeping, driver attention monitoring and emergency call.

The Spring confirms its "urban" spirit on the road

As for driving the new Dacia Spring, we can only confirm what emerged in the previous test (most of the mechanics, engines and battery have in fact remained unchanged).The maximum speed remains at 125 km/h, which becomes 100 if you choose Eco mode.But now there is the option B Mode which allows you to increase energy regeneration during braking or when you release the accelerator (but without appreciable advantages in terms of autonomy).Handling remains a strong point, demonstrating its urban nature, while a new steering control has improved driving even on extra-urban routes.

There are two versions left, one with an electric motor from 48 kW (65 horsepower) object of our test (and now available on multiple trim levels), the one that offers the most dynamism, and the version from 33 kW (45 horsepower), which remains available.Both versions are paired with a 26.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, not much but enough to ensure a declared electric range of up to 225 kilometers (305 in urban use), destined to decline considerably (approximately 140 “real” kilometers) if you use the motorway a lot, terrain that is decidedly less congenial to the Dacia Spring, also due to the increase in noise.

A scooter in the trunk for the last mile?With bidirectional charging it is now possible

There are no substantial changes regarding charging:as standard there is a 7 kW alternating current battery charger which allows you to go from 20 to 100 percent in approximately 11 hours from a domestic socket, while for those who have a 7 kW wallbox approximately 4 hours.If you plan to also use the charging stations then you will have to request the 30 kW direct current battery charger which allows a "rapid" charge from 20 to 80 percent in 45 minutes;cables are paid separately (around 300 euros).For the first time Dacia Spring also offers the bidirectional charging V2L Vehicle to Load, which allows you to use the car as if it were a power banks equipped with a power socket like those at home, useful for charging up to 3.6 kW electrical devices, such as a scooter to keep in the trunk for the last mile or an e-bike.