Dacia Spring EV seeks to fend off new rivals

GENEVA -- The face-lifted Dacia Spring was shown to the public on Monday at the Geneva auto show, featuring a new interior, a more-rugged exterior and a revised powertrain, although it retains the same 26.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack.

When the Spring was launched in 2021, it wasn’t clear what the reaction in Europe would be to a Chinese-built full-electric minicar with price well below 20,000 euros -- but also a relatively short range of 230 km (143 miles).

That question was quickly answered, as Dacia received nearly 50,000 orders for the Spring in its first year on the market. Last year, it was the eighth-best-selling EV in Europe, with some 60,000 sales, exceeding Renault’s original target of 40,000.

But the Spring is facing headwinds in 2024, starting with the loss of EV subsidies in France, its main market. At the same time, Citroen and Renault are launching sub-25,000 euro small EVs that are built in Europe, and thus eligible for subsidies, bringing them near to price parity with the much smaller and less-well-appointed Spring.

Dacia’s response is the updated and upgraded Spring, which began life as the Renault Kwid in India in 2018, then went full-electric in China as the Kwid Z.E., with versions for Renault’s Chinese partners and also Nissan’s Datsun brand. It was homologated for Europe at the end of 2021.

QUOTE HERE FROM PRESSER

Dacia is expected to announce lower prices for the Spring, which has received a number of visible but not costly upgrades.

The front end now has the brand’s new logo and light signature. Black plastic cladding has been added to protect the perimeter of the car, giving it a more-SUV-like appearance. Front and rear bumpers have a map-themed applique.

Inside, gone are many of the cheap plastics as well as uncomfortable seats that drew criticism from reviewers. Instead, softer materials are used on touch surfaces, and the seats have more bolstering. A lockable glove box is a new option.

For connectivity, the new Spring comes standard with a 7-inch instrument cluster for the driver, while a central 12-inch multimedia touchscreen is standard with the Extreme top trim version and as an option for the intermediate Expression level.

These screens are carried over from the new Duster small SUV, increasing economies of scale for Dacia as a brand.

Mechanically, the Spring now has a 65-hp electric motor, and a 220-volt socket that can be used to charge external devices.

In addition to the upgrades, Spring sales could receive a boost from its debut on the U.K. market, where automakers are facing EV quotas.