Dacia has previewed its first electric vehicle with the Spring Electric concept - and promised that the production version, due in 2021, will be the most affordable EV sold in Europe.

As expected, the Spring Electric’s design is based heavily on the Renault City K-ZE electric crossover that Dacia’s parent company designed primarily for the Chinese market. It retains the high ground clearance and rugged styling of that model, albeit with a reworked front end featuring a new-look Dacia grille, and has narrow LED lights front and rear.

Although no technical information has been released, Dacia says the production version of the Spring Electric will have a range of more than 125 miles, which reflects its intended use as a city car.

The Spring Electric is 3730mm long and has five doors. Dacia claims the “light and compact” design “focuses on the essentials, offering easier access for the greatest number of people”.

As well as offering the car for private sale, Dacia says the Spring Electric will be made available for use with car-sharing services. The Renault Group has already experienced success with electric vehicles in this area in Europe, with the Zoe, Kangoo ZE and Twizy.

Dacia says its first electric vehicle will be offered at a “fair price”, but there’s no indication of what that is likely to be. There is also no decision on whether the model will be launched in the UK. However, the likely early focus for the model will be on car sharing services, which have achieved limited take-up in the UK.

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