Photo: Dacia
Dacia is offering a surprise 10,000-euro bonus to buyers of its Spring electric supermini in Germany. With a price starting at only 12,750 euros (less than $14,000), the Dacia Spring is easily the most affordable electric car in Germany. The offer is valid for all versions until March 31 as long as stocks last.
When surveyed about switching to an electric vehicle, many people scoff at the high prices, long charging time, and limited range. While modern EVs have mostly solved charging and range, price has always been an issue. Electric vehicles have traditionally been more expensive than their ICE counterparts, with the battery pack accounting for half of the vehicle price.
With lithium and other materials' prices going through the roof in 2022, the dream of affordable EVs has become even more distant. This is why EV prices are subsidized in many countries to encourage people to switch from "dirty" combustion vehicles to cleaner EVs. In the US, there is the Inflation Reduction Act, with a $7,500 tax credit for buyers of locally-made EVs. Car buyers in Europe have even bigger incentives, with Germany offering up to 6,750 euros ($7,400) as an environmental bonus until last year.
However, the Germans woke up to a cruel reality at the end of 2023 when the government cut the EV subsidies in light of a budgetary constraint. The bonus was already planned to be lowered in 2024 to 4,500 euros ($4,950), but cutting it completely was unexpected. Several carmakers announced that they would step in to support their customers by offering a more significant discount. However, none of them was as generous as Dacia, the no-frills Romanian brand in Renault's portfolio.
Dacia just announced a massive 10,000-euro ($11,000) "elektrobonus" for its Spring electric supermini in Germany, which turned it into the most affordable EV on the market by far. Not that the Dacia Spring ever needed such a high bonus: it was already one of the most popular EVs in Germany. The made-in-China EV has found more than 30,000 customers in Germany since it was launched in the autumn of 2021.
Since the Spring starts at 22,750 euros ($24,950), the new bonus offered by Dacia means it can be driven off the lot for only 12,750 euros, which is less than $14,000. There is currently no electric vehicle in Germany selling for less. Similarly-sized Volkswagen e-Up retails for 24,980 euros ($27,400), while the Renault Twingo Electric starts at 28,000 euros ($30,700).
The Dacia Spring is only 3.73 meters (146.85 inches) long and weighs 1,045 kg (2,300 pounds). Weight reduction is possible thanks to using a small LFP battery with a 26.8-kWh capacity. This is small but enough to cover up to 230 km (143 miles), according to the European WLTP cycle. Since nobody attempts road trips in such a small city car, the Spring is actually even more efficient, with a city range of 305 km (190 miles).
With lithium and other materials' prices going through the roof in 2022, the dream of affordable EVs has become even more distant. This is why EV prices are subsidized in many countries to encourage people to switch from "dirty" combustion vehicles to cleaner EVs. In the US, there is the Inflation Reduction Act, with a $7,500 tax credit for buyers of locally-made EVs. Car buyers in Europe have even bigger incentives, with Germany offering up to 6,750 euros ($7,400) as an environmental bonus until last year.
However, the Germans woke up to a cruel reality at the end of 2023 when the government cut the EV subsidies in light of a budgetary constraint. The bonus was already planned to be lowered in 2024 to 4,500 euros ($4,950), but cutting it completely was unexpected. Several carmakers announced that they would step in to support their customers by offering a more significant discount. However, none of them was as generous as Dacia, the no-frills Romanian brand in Renault's portfolio.
Dacia just announced a massive 10,000-euro ($11,000) "elektrobonus" for its Spring electric supermini in Germany, which turned it into the most affordable EV on the market by far. Not that the Dacia Spring ever needed such a high bonus: it was already one of the most popular EVs in Germany. The made-in-China EV has found more than 30,000 customers in Germany since it was launched in the autumn of 2021.
Since the Spring starts at 22,750 euros ($24,950), the new bonus offered by Dacia means it can be driven off the lot for only 12,750 euros, which is less than $14,000. There is currently no electric vehicle in Germany selling for less. Similarly-sized Volkswagen e-Up retails for 24,980 euros ($27,400), while the Renault Twingo Electric starts at 28,000 euros ($30,700).
The Dacia Spring is only 3.73 meters (146.85 inches) long and weighs 1,045 kg (2,300 pounds). Weight reduction is possible thanks to using a small LFP battery with a 26.8-kWh capacity. This is small but enough to cover up to 230 km (143 miles), according to the European WLTP cycle. Since nobody attempts road trips in such a small city car, the Spring is actually even more efficient, with a city range of 305 km (190 miles).
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