The Dacia Spring proved that EVs can be seriously affordable, so long as you can afford the time. The original versions were shockingly slow, but Dacia has replaced both the 46 and 65 models with two new versions that are on a different performance planet, and still shouldn’t cost the earth.

Until now, the Spring has come in a couple of trims and with two different motor options, the 45 and 65. Those numbers referred to the metric horsepower output, which equates to just 44 hp (33 kW) and 64 hp (48 kW).

Clearly, we’re not talking about Tesla-grade go here. The 65 took 13.7 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 km/h), and the 45 required 19.1 seconds, the kind of performance last seen on mainstream cars over 40 years ago.

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Dacia hasn’t revealed a zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) time for the new 69 hp (70 PS / 52 kW) Spring 70, but it did provide some in-gear acceleration data to prove what a massive difference the extra muscle makes.

Where the 45 and 65 needed 26.2 and 14 seconds, respectively, to amble from 50-75 mph (80-120 kmh), the 70 can do the job in 10.3 seconds. And the 99 hp (100 PS / 74 kW) Spring 100 cuts it to just 6.9 seconds, while also getting to 62 mph in 9.6 seconds, which is hardly hot hatch performance, but it will certainly feel like one in this company.

Smarter Under The Skin

Helping keep that newfound punch in check is an anti-roll bar, which makes an appearance on the tech sheet for the first time, along with a new 24.3 kWh lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) battery. The electric driving range is unchanged at 140 miles (225 km), but the previously 30 kW on-board charger is upgraded to 40 kW.

That change looks laughable in the context of the latest 400 kW EVs, but the Spring’s battery is tiny, so a 20-80 percent fill takes a bearable 29 minutes when hooked up to a DC charger, and a 20-100 percent fill via a 7kW wallbox is done in 3h 20 minutes.

Price Still Matters

Dacia hasn’t revealed prices for the upgraded Springs, but hopefully, they won’t stray too far from where the outgoing cars were positioned. At just £14,995 ($20,200), the base 45 was one of the cheapest EVs available in the UK.

Dacia

At a time when prices of new cars keep climbing out of reach for many households, Italy has launched a surprisingly generous scrappage scheme that makes some EVs almost absurdly affordable. Under the program, low-income buyers who trade in a car registered before 2015 could drive home in a brand-new Dacia Spring for as little as €3,900 (about $4,600 at current exchange rates).

The €597 million ($700 million) initiative is designed to increase electric car sales to at least 39,000 units by June 2026. Right now, fully electric vehicles represent only 5.2% of Italy’s market, far behind the European Union average of 15.8%.

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To qualify for the full €11,000 ($12,900) discount, prospective EV buyers must scrap a Euro 5 (or earlier) vehicle, live in an urban area with more than 50,000 residents, and have a family income below €30,000 ($35,200). Households earning up to €40,000 ($46,900) can still access a reduced €9,000 ($10,600) bonus. Small companies also benefit, with subsidies covering 30% of an EV’s cost capped at €20,000 ($23,500) per new vehicle.

Pocket-Sized Prices

Dacia has trimmed the Italian starting price of the Spring EV from €17,900 ($21,000) to €14,900 ($17,500). With the full scrappage bonus applied, the figure falls to the headline-grabbing €3,900 ($4,600). That entry point is for the Essential Electric 45 trim, equipped with a 44 hp (33 kW / 45 PS) motor and a 26.8 kWh battery, good for a range of 225 km (140 miles).

Stellantis has also dropped the cost of the Leapmotor T03 from €18,900 ($22,200) to €15,900 ($18,700), meaning it can be purchased for €4,900 ($5,800) under the same scheme. As reported by Autonews, the Chinese brand claims that the heavily discounted price is “less than what you paid for your bicycle.”

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Electric vehicles from other automakers are also eligible under the same scheme. Fiat offers the 500e from €9,950 ($11,700) and the electric version of the Grande Panda from €11,950 ($14,000). The closely-related Citroen e-C3 starts at €12,900 ($15,100), while the spacious e-C3 Aircross SUV is now offered from a discounted €15,790 ($18,500).

These prices are undeniably attractive, but the strict eligibility requirements mean the incentives only reach a narrow slice of the population. For now, the question is whether the subsidy will genuinely reshape Italy’s car market or simply deliver a short-term boost among those who qualify.

Citroen