Dacia Spring EV

I'm sure you've all seen the Carwow review.

International Press Drives are usually a few months after but no dates or whether I'll be asked confirmed yet

Prediction: It will be much more expensive here than anywhere else.

I would prefer a used Leaf, eGolf, Zoe, etc.

I think for the like of GoCar should be an interesting proposition. It is not a fancy car and people would rightly say I buy new a car that feels old but as a runaround makes sense. I imagine the insurance to be cheaper for these yokes so a young driver might see it as a good entry car. On PCP might be around 100 a month which is quite affordable.

In the UK, pre-orders are open, entry level version is £14,995

https://preorder.dacia.co.uk/spring?_gl=1*ds0mo6*_gcl_au*MjA1NjQ1Nzg3OC4xNzA4NTI1NzY2*FPAU*MjA1NjQ1Nzg3OC4xNzA4NTI1NzY2

Precisely, there is a place for bargain brands like Dacia, BYD, MG but they need to be retailing around 15-20k max.

UK configurator is now up, £16.995 for the higher power version.

https://www.dacia.co.uk/hybrid-and-electric-range/spring-city-car/configurator.html

The cheapest Sandero in the UK is the TCe 90 which is 17,090 here. Also, the basic model Spring EV has 45 bhp and does 0-100 km/h in 19 seconds, I personally wouldn't buy a new car that was that slow. The "high" power version for £16,995 in the UK is much better.

If someone is in the market for a cheap new electric car, the Nissan Leaf 40 kWh is now down to 22.5k here with "trade in booster" and even with it being an old design and with some well known limitations and Chademo DC charging, it is surely a far superior car than a Spring.

@BrianD3 - " the basic model Spring EV has 45 bhp and does 0-100 km/h in 19 seconds, I personally wouldn't buy a new car that was that slow"

On the face of it that seems slow, but most likely the 0-50km/h time is quite acceptable. That would be typical for low power EVs. I agree with the price though. Cheap Chinese electric cars should start at not an awful lot more than €15k on the road here. And this should further come down over the coming decade.

The majority of people buying this car won't be worried about the bhp or how quickly it gets from 0-100 and matters naught if they did as the majority wouldn't go outside a 50 or 80kph zone. An ideal urban or semi rural car.

If priced right this could sell like hot cakes.

Perhaps all round the seagull is better but price wise the spring might have the edge after the EU whacks BYD with tariffs.

I take it you are talking about the first generation. It was not a bad car for what it was cheap and honest about it. It did not pretend to be anything else and drove decent too.

The old Sandero was ok, the current one is a major step up and is leagues ahead of the Kwid/Spring. The Sandero is much more spacious, comfortable, stable and is built on the same modern platform as the current Clio. As useful on an autobahn as it is in a city. It's a great blend of simplicity and modernity.

In contrast, the Spring is a 2015 design intended for developing markets and it shows. Safety was initially appalling (Rover 100 level) and Renault had to be shamed into modifying the car. It's a lot stronger now but even so, is less safe than the Sandero. 49% NCAP adult occupant score for Spring, 70% for Sandero.

WLTP range of the Sandero is over 900 km, WLTP of the Spring is 230 km and it can barely do the Irish mway limit flat out. Given its limitations and clear inferiority in so many areas versus a petrol Sandero for 17k, a fair price for the Spring would be no more than about 12k. The addition of an electric drivetrain to the Renault Kwid to turn it into the Dacia Spring, increasing the price and decreasing the range doesn't get it close to being better than the Sandero even if those besotted with EV drivetrains over all else seem to think it does.