Dacia Spring UK launch confirmed for 2024: Europe's cheapest EV heading this way

Dacia has announced that it will bring its Spring electric city car to the UK.

The Spring is already on sale in Europe as one of the continent’s cheapest electric cars but from 2024 the facelifted version of the compact EV will also officially go on sale in the UK.

The Romanian brand, part of the Renault Group, had intended to bring the Spring to the UK in 2022 but dropped the plans after high demand in mainland Europe and a disappointing one-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

However, it has now confirmed that the updated version of the compact four-seater will go on sale in “mid-2024”.

Dacia has not confirmed UK pricing for the Spring but in France the basic model starts from just over €20,000 (around £17,250) before up to €5,000 of government grants. Even if the Spring were to start at £20,000 that would still make it the cheapest electric car on sale in the UK. Only the Citroen Ami is cheaper and that, with its 8bhp motor and 28mph top speed, is officially classed as a quadricycle. 

In comparison the Spring has “proper” car specifications, albeit still relatively basic. The current version uses a single front-mounted electric motor with 44bhp and 92lb ft of torque. Its top speed is limited to 62mph. The 26.8kWh battery offers a range of around 140 miles and the Spring charges at a relatively sluggish 30kW. 

There’s no word yet on whether the facelift will change these specs or do anything to improve its safety performance. 

The Spring is 3.73 metres long - roughly the same size as a Toyota Aygo X and around 10cm shorter than the Fiat 500 Electric - bringing a low-cost option in the under-served electric city car segment, where only the larger and far more expensive Fiat, Mini and Honde e currently compete.

Dacia’s Xavier Martinet said the arrival of the Spring would help democratise EV ownership by offering sustainable without the often associated price premium.

Luke Broad, Dacia’s brand director for the UK, said: “We are thrilled that Dacia Spring will come to the UK in 2024. It will certainly be worth the wait.

“It will literally plug a gap in the UK electric car market for a highly usable, quality EV that won’t break the bank and which makes electric vehicle ownership more realistic than ever. With over 120,000 customers already sold on the Spring’s unbeatable, ‘no-nonsense’ blend of value, efficiency and durability, UK car buyers can look forward to an EV that’s perfectly aligned to their mobility requirements and, importantly, is done the Dacia way.”