Renault shifts Dacia Spring production to Europe to unlock French EV subsidies
The redesigned low-cost electric vehicle will be assembled in Slovenia, with French credits potentially reducing its price to €12,200.
Renault is moving production of its Dacia Spring electric vehicle from China to its Novo Mesto plant in Slovenia, a shift intended to make the model eligible for French subsidies.
The redesigned Spring starts at €17,900. In France, applicable electric-vehicle credits may reduce the price to €12,200, although eligibility and savings vary by country and household income.
The vehicle has a 27.5kWh LFP battery, 155 miles of WLTP range and 80 horsepower. Optional 50kW DC fast charging can take the battery from 15 per cent to 80 per cent in about 28 minutes, while charging from a standard 6.6kW outlet takes about nine hours.
Dacia says Spring owners drive about 21 miles a day and complete roughly 75 per cent of charging sessions at home, reflecting the model’s focus on city and suburban use. The car will be assembled alongside Renault’s Twingo E-Tech at Novo Mesto.
Dacia says the Spring has sold 210,000 units worldwide since 2021. Renault is targeting a fully electrified European sales mix by 2030, comprising electric and hybrid vehicles. Engadget reported that the Spring now appears to be Europe’s cheapest electric vehicle after incentives, though that comparison is not independently verified and depends on local subsidy rules.
