Dacia Sparks EV Price War With Sub-"12,000 Spring Model
Romanian automaker Dacia has slashed the price of its Spring electric city car to just £11,990, undercutting rival Leapmotor and potentially igniting a new price war in the budget electric vehicle market.
The battle for the UK's cheapest electric vehicle has intensified as Dacia announced a significant price reduction for its Spring city car, bringing the cost down to £11,990 on-the-road. This move undercuts the recently reduced price of the Leapmotor T03, a Chinese-made EV. The Dacia Spring, previously priced at £15,990, now holds the title of Britain's most affordable new electric car.
Dacia Spring Enhancements and Pricing
The price cut does not appear to compromise the essential features of the four-seater Spring. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors, a digital instrument display, and Dacia's Media Control system with steering wheel controls. The electric city car offers a range of up to 140 miles and can recharge from 20% to 80% in 29 minutes. Its boot capacity is 308 litres, expandable to 1,004 litres with the rear seats folded.
Dacia is offering two trims for the Spring. The Express Electric 70 is priced at £11,990. For an additional £1,000, the Extreme Electric 100 trim features a more powerful 100hp motor, a 10.1-inch Media Nav Live system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, vehicle-to-load functionality, distinct copper-accented styling, electric rear windows, and a reversing camera. The Spring originally launched in June 2024, with deliveries starting in October of the same year. A refresh in October 2025 introduced more powerful motors, a new LFP battery, and retuned suspension and brakes.
In Europe, the Spring achieved significant sales in 2025, with over 17,000 units sold, ranking second in the European electric vehicle market for the retail channel (segments A, B, and B-SUV).
When first introduced, the Spring was priced at £14,995, making it considerably cheaper than competitors like the MG4 EV. Even after its price increased to £15,990, it remained a strong value proposition.
Leapmotor T03 Competes on Price
The competition heated up when Chinese automaker Leapmotor, majority-owned by Stellantis, announced a reduction in its T03 city EV's price to £12,995, just a day before Dacia's announcement. The T03 is also a four-seater, five-door city EV, offering a range of 165 miles and charging from 30% to 80% in 36 minutes. It accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 12.7 seconds and has a top speed of around 80mph.
The T03 has a 210-litre boot and comes equipped with a 10-inch floating touchscreen, voice control, in-vehicle Wi-Fi, a panoramic sunroof, and 10 advanced driver-assistance systems. The Leapmotor T03's price reduction is facilitated by a larger grant and is applicable to all models purchased after July 1st, with no limit on the number of vehicles. This contrasts with Dacia's price cut, which is permanent.
The apparent rivalry between Dacia and Leapmotor represents a competition between Renault (Dacia's parent company) and Stellantis (Leapmotor's majority owner).