The Spring launched in several European markets early last year, but Dacia initially delayed a UK sales decison while it evaluated production capacity and its sales potential against the cost of a right hand-drive conversion.
“It is looking very positive, but there is no final decision,” Denis Le Vot, CEO of Dacia told Autocar late last year. “Our data suggests there are 15 million motorists in Europe who commute in their cars today – and that 60% of them use them for short distance driving exclusively. I am not saying they will all buy a Spring, but I am sure that it is exactly the kind of car that they need.
The Spring went on sale in France in early 2021, priced from €12,403 after that country’s generous EV incentives. That minimum price, equivalent to £10,630, positions the Spring alongside a mid-range, conventionally fuelled Sandero in terms of cost.
The French government currently offers a grant to buyers of sub-€45,000 EVs amounting to 27% of the cost of purchase, including tax, and a further €2500 if the EV is bought in exchange for an older ICE car to be scrapped.
Two trim levels are available: Comfort, which features air conditioning, a 3.5in media display with Bluetooth, a USB port and cloth upholstery as standard, and Comfort Plus, which adds a 7.0in infotainment display with smartphone mirroring, an orange-themed interior styling pack and metallic exterior paint.