Designed and engineered like all other Dacias to eliminate unnecessary things and, therefore, to contain industrial costs, the latest generation of the small electric SUV Spring does not deny the ability of the Renault Group’s ‘rational’ brand to positively surprise customers .
The basis on which it was developed, it should be remembered, is the proven CMF-A platform which was developed jointly by Renault and Nissan, while several electrical elements come from the experience of Twingo EV. A 1,000 km test carried out on all types of roads and in the most diverse traffic conditions has in fact shown that Spring – despite its small size: it is 3.73 m long and 1.77 wide including the mirrors and the power of the electric unit contained in 33 kW, i.e. 45 HP – it offers behavior that is not only suitable for the city, but is perfect for extra-urban routes and ring roads. And it’s not afraid of highway driving. Unexpected traveller, Dacia Spring has a modern and not at all low-cost exterior look, with exclusive touches (such as the mirrors and the orange elements in the roof bars) and which has only in the diameter of the wheels – they are 14 inches – one element less easy to accept aesthetically.
On the outside, however, positive judgment for the LED daytime running lights, for the rear lights with the Dacia Y-Shape signature, the body-coloured door handles, the new grille with brand identity in white and the protective slide on the rear (which adds off-road look) in Shiste Gray. However, the real surprise comes upon opening the doors: even if some rigid plastic finishes denounce the positioning of this Dacia – which in our market is the entry model to the world of electric cars – habitability, equipment and overall quality are a real surprise for this small 5-door, approved for 4 people.
As standard, central locking with remote control, manual climate control, front and rear electric windows, rear view camera, on-board computer (with 3.5-inch digital display in the center of the instrument panel) and in the equipment top of the range is the multimedia system with 7-inch display set up for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There is no shortage of high-tech solutions worthy of higher-end models, in accordance with the Dacia philosophy of leaving aside all that is superfluous and completing the car as standard with what is essential for safety and comfort. This is the case of the possibility of interacting via smartphone with Spring to remotely check the remaining battery percentage and the progress of recharging via the MyDacia application if the car is connected to a public column or to a domestic socket. Also using the MyDacia App, it is possible to remotely heck the air conditioning or the pre-heating of the passenger compartment.
The driver’s seat is comfortable even if it is not possible to adjust the position of the steering wheel, as are the rotor that replaces the automatic gearbox selector (3 positions: forward / neutral / reverse) and the other secondary controls. Standard features are automatic emergency braking, automatic switching on of the lights, speed limiter and traction and stability control, as well as ABS, of course. The safety equipment includes six airbags and Isofix rear attachments for child seats. Thanks to the simplification of the construction, Dacia Spring weighs only 970 kg and with its 45 HP and 25 Nm of torque therefore offers good performance (such as the 0-50 shot typical of urban traffic lights in 5.8 seconds) in the city. But it also guarantees behavior at motorway speeds – around 120/125 km/h – which is not only comfortable and safe, but which does not excessively penalize range.
The 27.4 kWh battery is approved for 230 km in the WLTP combined cycle or 305 km in the urban one. By cleverly ‘playing’ with the Eco button which lowers the engine’s output and therefore limits consumption, we get close enough to the Wltp approval value (13.9 kW per 100 km in the mixed cycle) attesting to the real energy demand of Dacia Spring around 20 kW per 100 km. Based on current prices and considering the Wltp approval value (230 km of range in the combined cycle), recharging the Spring at the Enel X AC public columns (which supplies electricity at 0.69 euros per kW) involves a cost of 18. 49 euros for the ‘full tank’ and therefore a cost of 8 euros per 100 km. If, on the other hand, the rapid 30 kW DC columns are used (which allow you to go from 0 to 80% in 56 minutes), the expense is slightly higher since a kW costs 0.89 euros. The cost to cover 100 km therefore rises to 10.4 euros. Dacia Spring also stands out for the convenience of purchase: the Expression Electric 45 version is in fact offered until 31 May at 128 euros/month in 36 installments (Tan: 2.99% – Taeg: 4.61%) with an advance of 5,100 euros and final installment of 10,186 euros.
Source: Ansa
I am an author at Global happenings and I mostly cover automobile news. In my time working in the automotive industry, I have developed a keen interest in the latest developments and trends. My writing skills have also allowed me to share my knowledge with others through articles and blog posts.
