2024 Dacia Spring: price, specs and release date

The Dacia Spring has become the UK's cheapest electric car with prices starting at just £14,995.

The rest of Europe has been able to buy the new Dacia Spring for the past two years or so, but it's finally available to order the UK. Just as the company managed with the Sandero – the UK's cheapest car – the Dacia Spring has become the country's cheapest electric car. 

Ariving in right-hand drive guise in newly-facelifted form, the cheapest electric car in the UK is now on sale.

Right now it has few direct rivals, due to its low price, but more entry-level electric cars are on their way within the next year or so, including the BYD Seagull, the Volkswagen ID.2 and the Hyundai Inster. Potential Dacia Spring customers could also be tempted by the Citroen e-C3, which is on sale now although costs several thousand more than the Dacia.

New 2024 Dacia Spring price and release date

The Dacia Spring's USP is not its flash interior, clever infotainment, smart gadgets or huge range – it's the knockdown price, which starts at just £14,995. 

This is for the new Dacia Spring Expression 45, which includes air con, rear parking sensors and electric front windows. Even the top-spec Extreme 65 only costs £16,995, and this includes snazzy extra styling features and a 10.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The new Dacia Spring is on sale now. We reckon it could be a huge hit and one of the most talked-about new cars of 2024.

New 2024 Dacia Spring: exterior and interior

The new Dacia Spring follows the same back-to-basics design approach that you've already seen in models like the Sandero, Jogger and Duster. Ready for its UK arrival, the new Dacia Spring has been given an extensive facelift that enhances its SUV-infused styling. 

The new Dacia Spring has been facelifted to coincide with its UK launch. It now has a more fashionable appearance with cool styling details, from the full LED headlights to the decals that adorn the bodywork.

Instead of using add-on plastic parts, many styling element on the new Dacia Spring are plastic stickers, which are light and easy to replace. The car also now has no exterior chrome, which makes it look more modern. It has steel wheels instead of alloy wheels, with plastic trims that look smart and are also easy to replace.

The new Dacia Spring will be available in a range of six colours, including the new Brick Red pictured here, along with the Beige Safari colour also seen on the new Dacia Duster.

Inside, the new Dacia Spring has an entirely new dashboard that’s better quality and more fashionable. It has distinctive SUV vibes, and top-spec models have cool copper-coloured details.

The colour of the centre decorative element inside the new Dacia Spring varies according to trim. It's red on Expression models and ‘Dusty Khaki’, or green, on the Extreme version pictured here.

All new Dacia Spring have a 7.0-inch driver display in place of traditional dials. They also have the clever YouClip system, that allows accessories such as lights or bag hooks to be positioned around the cabin.

Disappointingly, the airy design you get in pricier electric cars – that take advantage of their electric underpinnings to give you a flat floor and no centre console – is nowhere to be seen in the Dacia. On the upside, there’s room for four tall adults and the 308-litre boot is bigger than you’ll find in a city car like the Volkswagen Up. Fold down the rear seats and that expands to 1004 litres.

The new Dacia Spring also has a 35-litre front stowage compartment under the bonnet. This is also known as a 'frunk' and is ideal for packing away the charging cables. The charge port itself is in the front grille, behind the Dacia logo. 

All new Dacia Spring have rear parking sensors, electric front windows and a clever Media Control system that links up with smartphones. You can control media and phone calls through buttons on the steering wheel – which is now the same design as seen on the new Dacia Duster. 

New Dacia Spring Expression also have the all-important air con and, on 65PS versions, 15-inch wheels. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto feature on top-spec Extreme models, through their 10.0-inch centre screen

New 2024 Dacia Spring: range and performance

The new Dacia Spring features a relatively inexpensive 26.8kWh lithium-ion battery which will give it an official range of 140 miles on a full charge. It also features a clever regenerative braking system that helps top up the battery as you slow down. It's activated by a 'B' mode on the refashioned gearlever toggle. 

The new Dacia Spring is available with a choice of two electric motors. The entry-level car has a 45PS motor and a more powerful 65PS alternative is also available. This will deliver a 0-62mph performance of 13.7 seconds – the 45PS model is far more leisurely at 19.1 seconds. A top speed of 78mph means out-of-town jaunts aren’t entirely off the menu.

That said, the city is where the Dacia Spring Electric will thrive. It has a tiny 4.8m turning circle for superb manoeuvrability, while the raised suspension should help it pogo over speed humps and through potholes with ease.

The new Dacia Spring also has enhanced safety assist technology, such as autonomous emergency braking and rear park assist. Lane keep assist, speed alert and a driver attention monitor are also standard. Owners can turn safety systems on and off through a dedicated new 'My Safety' button on the dashboard. 

Using a 30kW charger – the type you find dotted around towns – it’ll take you 1 hour to charge the Dacia’s battery from 0-80%, while it’ll take 5 hours from a 7.4kWh wall box charger. Or 14 hours if you’re game to plug it directly to a three-pronged plug socket. 

Charging it at home will save you a fortune and, once you factor in the price, and the cheap servicing (thanks to fewer moving parts and fluids) – the Dacia has the potential to give you a wider smile than a Lidl receipt after a huge shop. 

Can’t wait for a Dacia Spring Electric? Time to consider a Renault Zoe…

While the Dacia Spring Electric would be the cheapest new EV on the market if it gets the go-ahead for UK sale, a second-hand Renault Zoe is even cheaper – they’re going for less than £6000. That buys you a 2017 22kWh model with less than 80,000 miles on the clock. The simple design of its electric motor should translate into excellent reliability and its range – of 130 miles – is perfect for town use. 

If you're ready to buy we've got 1000s of Used Cars for Sale, while if you're looking to save money, check out our guide to the Best Car Deals.

Looking for more new car news?

There's the new Toyota Prius and the new BMW i5 Touring on the way, while new MINI Cooper Electric is already on sale. Oh, and the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer if you're looking for a large electric estate car.