Try Dacia Spring, how's the 10,000 euro electric going?

Try Dacia Spring

The electric car is now a reality, all brands are approaching this world, yet, up to now, there has been no real entry level attractive to the pockets of those who do not want - or cannot - spend more than the cost of a normal car. For these people, the Romanian brand Dacia comes to the rescue which, after upsetting the market both in 2004 with the decidedly low prices of the Logan and in 2010 with the crossover Duster, is preparing to carry out a reality check also in the electric car sector. towns, introducing the first economic electricity.

Federicovecchio.com Although the price list starts at 19,000 euros, most buyers will get it at a very different price, as through incentives it is possible to pay it 9,460 euros in the basic Comfort set-up and 10,960 euros with Comfort Plus equipment . The philosophy on which this car is developed is the same that has characterized the brand up to now, namely simplicity and absence of frills; the interior of the car is in fact spartan and essential, leaving space only for what is really necessary.

Thanks to the Comfort Plus trim - which we strongly recommend - you will have a generous 7-inch screen with CarPlay and Android Auto in the center console, set in a shiny plastic frame between the manual air conditioning vents and the simple controls for controlling the windows and central locking. Without forgetting the emergency arrows and the button for ECO mode, which allows you to consume less energy when traveling by limiting power. In the central tunnel we find the classic handbrake and a rotor for selecting the D, N and R gears, the lack of the P position for the gearbox; it can be confusing at first but it is only a matter of habit.

Federicovecchio.com Federicovecchio.com The quality of the materials is not surprising, but it is fully understandable if we consider that the other comparable electric ones have much higher costs; Dacia has invested most of its budget in the optimization of the battery pack, in order to offer an economic entry into the world of electric motorization.

In the upper part of the passenger compartment we find the same materials as the lower part , but the assemblies are solid and there is no creaking on uneven surfaces. The steering was the real surprise, the ease with which you can make the maneuvers makes even city traffic pleasant, crowning Dacia Spring as the car to beat for complicated daily maneuvers, thanks to its almost 5 meters of turning radius.

The performances in the city are very respectable, resulting in quick 0-50 km / h and guaranteeing a combined WLTP autonomy of 230 km which in realistic use drops to 180/190 km if the occasional is included stretch of ring road. Although it appears to have a reduced range, city travel rarely goes beyond 15/20 km and this is the key to Spring's success; up to now we have not deliberately talked about technical data, this is because on paper, Dacia Spring only declares 45 hp which many - myself included - can turn up their noses, yet once you try it you forget this data.

The combination of electric motor and simplicity of construction, turns into only 970 kg in total which are able to move the Dacia Spring easily and guarantee superior performance compared to those of a traditional 70 hp city car.

Federicovecchio.com Driving Dacia Spring is simple and intuitive: the lightness of the steering that helps in maneuvering is at the expense of precision in insertion while the suspensions are able to efficiently absorb the roughness of the city. At speeds above 50 km / h the acoustic comfort could be improved with further soundproofing, both as regards external noise and for rolling.

The battery pack is 27.4 kWh and can be recharged both in mode AC from Wallbox to 7.4 Kw in just under 5 hours, both in DC mode - an important option that is included in the Comfort Plus set-up - in about 1 hour and a half thanks to the 30 Kw of maximum absorption allowed by the vehicle. The latter figure is lower than that offered by most modern Fast columns, which reach an average of 50 kW; we hope that in the next generation of this model, charging at maximum power will be implemented in order to avoid a waste of time and occupy the columns beyond what is strictly necessary.

Federicovecchio.com Federicovecchio.com Despite being a vehicle small electric - width of 1770 mm, length of 3734 mm and height of 1516 mm - the interior spaces are not compromised by the battery, comfortably guaranteeing space for 4 people and some luggage if we use the 290 liters of the trunk which can become 620 by folding the rear seats.

We liked the exterior of Dacia Spring, the front is modern and thanks to the LED daytime running lights it manages to give a premium touch to the front end which is enriched by the charging port hidden behind the grille which, although pleasing to the eye, makes the insertion of the cables quite complex, as the view of the socket is covered by the cover itself.

In general Dacia Spr ing convinced us, we consider it one of the few electric vehicles currently on the market that many would evaluate as a city car, thanks to its affordable price and its ease of use.

Federicovecchio.com