Dacia unveils second-generation Spring electric car from €17,900 with European production

Production relocated to Slovenia

Dacia presented the second generation of its Spring electric city car on Tuesday, moving assembly from China to the Renault Group factory in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. The model shares its RG-EV Small platform with the Renault Twingo and an affiliated Nissan vehicle. By moving production inside the European Union, the Romanian brand ensures eligibility for European consumer subsidies and bypasses EU import tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. The previous generation recorded over 210,000 sales across more than 40 countries since its 2021 release, but lost ground in France when national low-income purchase subsidies excluded cars manufactured in China. Deliveries for the updated model are scheduled to begin in early 2027.

What we have observed since April is that there is a diversity of electric vehicles across all segments, which is growing significantly. There is clearly much higher demand, which is holding us back because we only have a single electric model.

Pricing and trim options

The base Expression trim begins at 17,900 euros (approximately 20,821 dollars) before subsidies, with a higher Journey trim listed at 19,400 euros. The vehicle is commercialized starting Tuesday in France and Switzerland, with availability structured around four body colors and two equipment tiers. Both trims share an 80-horsepower (60 kW) front-axle motor producing 175 Nm of torque, enabling acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 12.1 seconds and a maximum speed of 130 km/h. Interior amenities include a standard 7-inch digital driver cluster, an electric parking brake, and rear parking sensors. The Journey trim adds a rear camera and a 10.1-inch central touchscreen running Media Nav Live, which includes smartphone mirroring and eight years of connected navigation.

Factually we have the lowest price for electric cars in the A-segment.

Technical specifications and charging times

The second-generation Spring is 15 centimeters longer and 18 centimeters wider than its predecessor, measuring 3.85 meters in length and 1.74 meters in width, with boot capacity reaching 337 liters. Power comes from a 27.5 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides up to 250 kilometers of driving range under the WLTP combined test cycle. Vehicle weight starts at 1,212 kilograms, resulting in an energy consumption rating of 12.7 kWh per 100 kilometers. Charging from 15% to 80% takes nine hours using a standard domestic socket with the default 6.6 kW onboard charger. An optional 11 kW AC charger reduces this replenishment time to one hour and 55 minutes, while an optional 50 kW direct current connection completes the 15% to 80% cycle in 28 minutes.

Commercial pressures in the European EV market

The product rollout coincides with European automakers expanding sub-20,000 euro offerings to compete with Chinese manufacturers. Rising fuel prices connected to the conflict in Iran pushed electric vehicle sales in France to 35% of all new registrations in July 2026 and 38% in August 2026. Across the European Union, electric sales rose 40.5% in the first half of 2026, accounting for 20.7% of total new car sales. Dacia sales fell 8.8% during that same six-month period, reducing its regional market share to 4.5% compared to 5.2% a year earlier. By August, the outgoing Spring had dropped to 55th place among car models sold in France. Dacia plans to expand its electrified lineup by introducing more hybrid models and deploying four fully electric vehicles by 2030.

For Dacia, the stakes of the new Spring's arrival are regaining market share.