Dacia Spring Electric 45 hp

Overview

The Dacia Spring Electric 45 hp is Europe's undisputed champion of affordable electric motoring, and the latest version seriously ups its game! It’s a compact, no-frills city car designed to get you from A-to-B on a budget, now with a much sharper look. Priced new from around €16,900 in the EU, and with used examples of this refreshed model appearing near €14,900, it’s an EV bargain. This 45 hp trim prioritizes value, making electric mobility accessible to the masses with its dinky dimensions and surprisingly practical interior for urban adventures.

What's New for 2025?

The Dacia Spring has undergone a massive transformation for the 2025 model year! It boasts an entirely new exterior design, ditching the old rounded look for a tougher, more modern Duster-inspired aesthetic. Inside, the cabin is revamped with better perceived quality and new technology, including a standard 7-inch digital driver's display. Crucially, it now packs more advanced safety assistance systems as standard to comply with new EU regulations. While the core 45 hp powertrain continues, the overall package feels like a whole new, more mature car.

Design & Exterior

Gone is the super-budget look; the new Spring Electric 45 hp now rocks Dacia's contemporary design language, featuring the distinctive "Link" emblem and Y-shaped LED daytime running lights. It looks chunkier and more SUV-like, despite its city-friendly dimensions: 3701 mm long, 1583 mm wide (excluding mirrors), and 1519 mm tall. The 45 hp trim typically features practical steel wheels with stylish covers, emphasizing its value proposition. It's a massive visual upgrade, making it look far more expensive than it is, especially with its tougher, more modern stance.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Step inside the Spring 45 hp, and you'll find a completely redesigned dashboard that’s a world away from its predecessor. While hard plastics are prevalent, the design is more contemporary, and build quality feels solid. Passenger space is adequate for a city car, seating four. The new 7-inch digital instrument cluster is standard. For infotainment, this trim may feature Dacia's Media Control system (using your smartphone) or an optional central touchscreen. Cargo wise, you get a decent 308 litres of boot space, expanding to 1004 litres with seats folded. There's no standard frunk, but accessory storage options are available.

Performance & Driving Experience

The Spring Electric 45 hp is all about efficient city cruising rather than outright speed. Its Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) delivers 33 kW of power and 125 Nm of torque to the front wheels. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h is a leisurely 19.1 seconds, so it’s no pocket rocket, but perfectly adequate for zipping around town. The light steering and compact size make it a doddle to park and manoeuvre. Ride comfort is generally good for a small car, and a 'B' mode for regenerative braking helps eke out extra range in stop-start traffic.

Range, Battery & Charging

The Dacia Spring Electric 45 hp is equipped with a 26.8 kWh usable battery pack. Green Cars Compare calculates a real-world range of approximately 191 km, making it ideal for urban commutes and daily errands, achieving an efficiency of around 7.13 km/kWh. For charging, it comes standard with a 7 kW AC on-board charger via its Type 2 (Mennekes) port, meaning a full charge takes about 4-5 hours. This trim also supports DC fast charging at up to 30 kW (CCS connector), allowing a 0-80% top-up in around 50 minutes.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

While the previous Dacia Spring had a challenging 1-star Euro NCAP rating, this heavily updated 2025 model now includes a broader suite of standard safety equipment to meet the latest EU GSR2 regulations. This includes features like Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB) with vehicle, pedestrian, and cyclist detection, lane keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, and driver attention warning. An official Euro NCAP rating for this new version is anticipated but not yet available. These additions significantly bolster its safety credentials compared to its predecessor.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

Dacia typically offers a straightforward warranty package in Europe. Owners of the Spring Electric 45 hp can generally expect a standard vehicle warranty of 3 years or 100,000 km, whichever comes first. The crucial high-voltage battery is usually covered for a longer period, typically 8 years or 120,000 km, with a guarantee against excessive degradation (often to 70% state of health). As an electric vehicle, maintenance is generally simpler and potentially cheaper than a petrol equivalent, with fewer moving parts to worry about, contributing to its low running costs.