Dacia has officially pulled the wraps off its second-generation Spring EV, marking a massive leap forward for Europe’s most accessible electric car.

The new model’s arrival follows the first generation’s highly successful introduction to the market. Originally introduced in continental Europe in 2021 before arriving in facelifted form in the UK in 2024, the compact city car has amassed almost 210,000 sales across Europe. In doing so, it has single-handedly shifted the EV conversation toward “simple, accessible, no-nonsense electric mobility”, while also proving a surprise hit with public sector fleets. It’s also available as a cargo utility vehicle, ditching the back seat to offer 1,085 litres of load space and a payload of 370kg, aimed at last-mile deliveries with no tailpipe emissions.

Available from early 2027, the all-new electric city car is built on Renault Group’s new RG-EV Small platform, sharing its parts with the new Renault Twingo E-Tech. Meanwhile, production moves out of China to Renault’s Revoz factory located in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, helping Dacia to swerve EU import tariffs.

Battery capacity is similar to the outgoing version and will enable a range of up to 250km (155 miles) on the WLTP combined cycle, compared to 225km (140 miles) for the current Dacia.

Styling adopts a more crossover-focused ethos with rugged cues to echo Dacia’s SUVs. It’s also designed for the rigours of everyday use, featuring large, texturised black protective panels integrated directly into the front and rear bumpers to handle minor city scrapes, potentially cutting repair costs for fleets.

Size-wise, it’s now 15cm longer and 18cm wider, giving it a stronger, more robust stance, while increasing interior space. There’s room for four adults, and 337 litres of luggage space with the rear seats in place. This can be expanded to 1,283 litres up to the roof with the rear seats folded. The Spring also gets a removable floor in two separate sections that allows the boot to be divided into compartments to secure or conceal items.

Despite the changes, Dacia says the new model will continue its legacy for accessible electric mobility. Prices are expected to start at under £18,000 and this could be lowered further by the Electric Car Grant, which the current model misses out on due to its Chinese production roots. By way of comparison, Dacia recently slashed the price for its Spring EV to just £11,990 following an aggressive £4,000 price cut to steal back the crown as Britain’s most affordable new EV.

While the previous Spring came with a choice of 45hp and 65hp motors, the new version will solely offer an 80hp unit with 175Nm of torque. It’s good for 0 to 62mph in 12.1 seconds with a top speed of around 80mph.

The Spring comes with an onboard 6.6kW AC charger as standard, which charges from 15% to 80% in just under three hours with a 7kW AC charger. It’s also able to charge at up to 50kW DC, allowing users to charge from 15% to 80% in 28 minutes.

The optional Charge Pack includes an 11kW AC charger and 50kW DC charger, cutting the time required to charge from 15% to 80% to one hour 55 minutes, with an 11 kW three-phase home charger or a 22kW charging point. This pack also adds in vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability that means the new Spring is able to power small electrical appliances independently, such as lights, e-bike batteries and coffee makers. There will be an optional 18-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, which can be used to store the charging cable.

A tighter turning circle of 4.95m ensures agility in tight city spaces, while safety is bolstered by an automatic electric parking brake, reversing sensors, and Dacia’s new ‘My Safety’ switch, which lets drivers instantly activate their preferred custom driver-assistance settings upon start up.

Two equipment grades will be offered from launch, starting with Expression. Standard equipment includes a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, 15-inch steel wheels, remote central locking, electric front windows, manual air conditioning, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors, electronic parking brake and USB-C port.

The Journey grade, expected to be priced at less than £20,000, adds in 16-inch steel wheels, rear camera, an extra USB-C port and the Media Nav Live system, with a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, connected navigation and services, plus wireless smartphone mirroring via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Both models come with Dacia’s YouClip accessory anchoring mechanism designed to let drivers customise their car’s cabin with clip-on add-ons.

Modular accessories include the ‘Pelican’ centre console organiser that holds everyday essentials, floor and boot mats made from 50% recycled rubber, an Easyflex modular boot liner, door sills, front and rear mud flaps, and more.

Full UK pricing and specifications for the new Spring will be announced in the coming weeks.