The New 2026 Dacia Spring Becomes the Most Affordable Electric Car in Great Britain
The world has already grown accustomed to news about extremely affordable electric cars from China, which easily undercut models from Europe, the USA, or Japan in price. The Dacia Spring partially follows this trend—it is manufactured in China, but is presented on the market under a European brand and has the lowest price among all competitors. Thanks to a new state support program, the “Dacia Electric Car Grant” of £3,750, this car has become the cheapest electric car that can be purchased in the UK.
The updated 2026 model costs just £12,240, including all road taxes. This price makes the Spring even cheaper than the long-standing affordability leader—the Dacia Sandero, if we don’t consider special vehicles like the Citroën Ami quadricycle. Even another budget Chinese electric car, the Leapmotor T03, cannot compete on price, starting from £15,995.
Two Versions and a Unique Offer
On the British market, the hatchback with crossover design is offered in two trim levels: Expression Electric 70 and Extreme Electric 100. The nominal starting price of the base model is £15,990, and the top version is £16,990. However, thanks to a grant from Dacia of £3,750, the final prices for the buyer are £12,240 and £13,240 respectively. This allows the brand to significantly undermine the positions of Chinese competitors.
Updates for the 2026 Model Year
For the new model year, Dacia has introduced a number of important updates. Engineers have reworked the chassis, suspension, and braking system to make the electric car safer, more balanced, and suitable for various everyday situations. Both versions have now received a new 24.3 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery.
As the names imply, the base model Expression Electric 70 is equipped with a 70 hp electric motor, while the top Extreme Electric 100 has 100 hp. The Extreme version also features styling with copper accents, electric rear windows, a larger 10.1-inch multimedia system screen with support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function. The range for both models is up to 140 miles (approximately 225 km) on a single charge.
The appearance of the Dacia Spring on the market demonstrates an interesting trend where a European brand uses the globalization of production to create an ultra-affordable product. This is not just a Chinese car under a different name, but a strategic move aimed at attracting a new category of buyers who previously did not consider electric cars due to their high cost. The success of this model may force other manufacturers to reconsider their approaches to pricing and production localization in order to remain competitive in the budget electric vehicle segment.