One of the major hurdles now standing in the way of mass EV adoption is the cost. However, Dacia is doing its part to bring down the price of electric vehicles in Germany by offering buyers a massive € 10,000 (US$ 11,000) discount on the Spring EV until March 31. That’s a stunning discount, especially when you consider that the Spring starts at just € 22,750 (US$ 25,000). With this “elektrobonus,” as Dacia is calling it, the price of the hatchback effectively gets cut in half, allowing customers to own an EV for just € 12,750 (US$ 14,000).
This isn’t the first time Dacia buyers
have benefited from a significant discount, but it is the largest. When the
Spring was initially launched, it received an “environmental bonus” of € 9,750
(US$ 10,700). While the Dacia Spring may not be the most
feature-packed EV on the market, it offers a reasonable balance between cost
and performance. Despite its modest 26.8 kWh battery pack, it has a low curb
weight, coming in at less than a metric ton. This allows
it to achieve a range of 230 km per charge.
Further enhancing its appeal is the fact
that it boasts extended maintenance intervals of 30,000 kilometers and comes with an eight-year battery guarantee or 120,000
kilometers with a guaranteed minimum charging capacity of
75 percent. Built in China with the help of Dongfeng, Dacia has sold more than
30,000 examples of the Spring in Germany since 2021. As a result of its low
price and its acceptable performance, the model has been well reviewed by
critics. Safety organization are less glowing about it, though. EuroNCAP, which
performs crash tests for the continent, gave the vehicle a 1-star rating in
2021.
Dacia’s latest electric bonus comes
shortly after the German government decided to discontinue its EV subsidy
program. Facing a budget crisis, the country decided last month that its € 4,500
(US$ 4,900) tax break for consumers, and its € 2,250 (US$ 2,500)
incentive for automakers, would end abruptly.
