Photo: The copper-coloured elements of the Extreme equipment variant contrast nicely with the new blue paint colour.
Text : Tony Vos - Photos : Automedia
Its position on the market as the most affordable all-electric car has still not changed. Yet there is a clear demand among customers for a bit more engine power and, as a result, smoother performance. Dacia is happy to meet that demand.
Photo: The charging socket is behind the large Dacia logo on the front.
Importantly, this answer is given in a way that suits Dacia. That means that the Dacia Spring 65 basicallydoes not have any other technology. The battery with a capacity of 26.8 kWh has not changed. The electric motor also remains identical. The only thing that is different is that the motor can turn at a significantly higher speed. To make this possible, different bearings are fitted to handle this extra 'force'.
With the power increasing from 45 to 65 hp, this new version delivers a much better response to the throttle. The power is clearly felt, especially during our introduction right through the centre of Vienna. Those who press the accelerator a little too enthusiastically notice that the tyres lose grip and it takes a while for ESP to intervene. The tyres under the test car turned out to be from a totally unknown brand. Better tyres will undoubtedly provide much more grip. This same lack of grip is noticeable in the overtime the ABS has to work when braking.
The difference in performance manifests itself in the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 13.7 seconds instead of 19.1 seconds on the Spring 45. That is a difference of a whopping 28 per cent. The difference at 0 to 50 and 80 to 120 km/h is even greater.
The electric motor naturally does its job extremely quietly, and even the electronic noise that sounds on the outside up to a speed of 30 km/h is barely audible inside. What is audible in our specimen are the windscreen wipers that have to do their job frequently during rainy conditions.
The Dacia Spring is obviously made for driving in urban areas. On average, Dacia has calculated that the average Spring driver travels 31 kilometres daily, which means that in such a case the customer only needs to recharge once a week. The stated range is 220 kilometres, which we also managed to achieve neatly in the Austrian capital over a varying route from traffic light to traffic light and some kilometres on more through roads.
Dacia also knows by now that some ninety per cent of its customers just charge their car via the normal power socket. Clearly, the bulk of Spring buyers are driving an electric car for the first time and are also mostly from another brand.
At the same time as the Spring 65, Dacia is launching the Extreme equipment variant, which is dressed up a little extra. Copper-coloured elements are used here and there on both the exterior as well as the interior. Most obvious are the mirror caps in that colour, but also the Dacia name on the rear, blocks of the roof rails and the Dacia logos on the wheels. In the interior, there are also strips and ditto coloured elements on the air vents. All Extreme versions in the Dacia range include surfaces inspired by altitude maps. For the Spring, these include the black areas at the bottom of the doors and the rubber floor mats.
In driving this more powerful version, the car gives the impression that improvements have been made to the chassis, especially at the detail level. The car reacts a little more predictably and quietly to road bumps. The steering also feels slightly more precise. To keep the price attractive, no tinkering has been done to the interior materials. Therefore, Dacia should not be blamed for a lot of hard plastic surfaces. If one element could be improved, it might be that for taller people, a height or rather depth adjustment on the driver's seat is missing.
The price is only slightly increased compared to the most complete Spring 45. The Spring 65 Extreme is available, among other things, in a new blue paint colour, Slate Blue, as shown in the attached photos.