Buying a new electric car just got even cheaper in Germany, as Europe’s most budget-friendly EV has pulled further ahead of the pack. The all-electric Dacia Spring now starts at just €11,900 (around $13,900), thanks to a massive €5,000 (around $5,900 at current exchange rates) discount. At that price, it’s significantly cheaper in Germany than it is in the UK.

It’s not a government subsidy or rebate through a dealer. The discount is applied straight to the vehicle’s base price, but it won’t last forever. To take advantage of the full €5,000 off, buyers must sign a purchase or lease agreement by February 28. On top of that, the car needs to be registered no later than June 30.

Read: UK’s Cheapest EV Is Made In China, But Doesn’t Wear A Chinese Badge

Beyond the headline price, the Spring comes with a seven-year or 150,000-kilometer warranty as standard. It’s also compact and lightweight, tipping the scales at 995 kg (2,193 pounds) and measuring 3.7 meters (12.1 feet) in length.

What Do You Get For The Money?

Of course, a car this cheap comes with compromises. The Spring is equipped with a 24.3 kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery, which powers a single front-mounted electric motor producing just 70 horsepower. It’s also built in China, which helps account for the low cost.

Dacia says it can average a respectable 12.7 kWh/100 km over the combined cycle, offering up to 225 km (140 miles) of driving range. For those who only drive in the Spring in cities, the range can be extended to up to 341 km (212 miles).

Incredibly, this isn’t the wildest deal we’ve seen for the Dacia Spring. As part of a new government scheme in Italy designed to encourage locals to scrap their old ICE cars in favor of EVs, the Spring can be purchased for as little as €3,900 ($4,600).

However, to qualify for the maximum saving of €11,000 ($13,900), locals must scrap a Euro 5 or earlier vehicle, live in an urban area with more than 50,000 residents, and have a family income of less than €30,000 ($35,100).

We’ve become quite accustomed to hearing about impossibly cheap EVs coming out of China, easily undercutting those from Europe, the US, Japan, and elsewhere.

The Dacia Spring fits that mould in one sense, as it’s built in China, but it arrives wearing a European badge and undercutting everything else on the market. It’s the cheapest EV currently on sale in the UK, thanks to the new £3,750 ‘Dacia Electric Car Grant’.

Read: Dacia’s EV Tortoise Just Got A Hare Transplant

For the freshly updated 2026 model, the Dacia Spring starts at just £12,240 ($16,415 at current exchange rates) including all on-road charges.

That makes it cheaper than the long-reigning Dacia Sandero, which has typically held the title of Britain’s most affordable car, unless you count outliers like the Citroën Ami quadricycle. Even the Leapmotor T03, another low-cost Chinese EV, can’t quite match it on price, starting from £15,995 ($21,400).

In the UK, the high-riding hatchback with the crossover aesthetics is offered in two forms: the Expression Electric 70 and the Extreme Electric 100. The total, on-the-road price for the base model technically starts at £15,990 ($21,400), while the flagship model starts at £16,990 ($22,800).

However, both are available with Dacia’s £3,750 ($5,000) grant, bringing the prices down to £12,240 ($16,415) and £13,240 ($17,700), respectively.

What’s New For 2026?

Several important upgrades have been made to the Spring for 2026. For example, Dacia has revised the chassis, suspension, and brakes, aiming to make the EV “feel more secure, more composed, and more capable across a wider range of everyday situations.”

Additionally, both models now include a new 24.3 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery.

Both the Expression Electric 70 and Extreme Electric 100 feature single electric motors, but as their names suggest, the base model is capped at 70 hp while the range-topper delivers 100 hp.

This version also includes copper-accented styling, electric rear windows, a larger 10.1-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a vehicle-to-load function. Both models can travel up to 140 miles on a charge.