Dacia is actually giving away the Spring EV for 79 euros per month

With the latest 24-month lease offer, the Dacia Spring is now an unbeatable deal for German electric car buyers

The new Dacia Spring officially takes the title of Germany’s cheapest “full-fledged” electric car, thanks to a new lease deal that makes it almost ridiculously priced. The base model of this stripped-down urban electric car is now available for just €79 ($86) per month with a 24-month/10,000 km (6,214 mile) lease and zero down payment. A €16,900 ($18,400) electric car costs a total of €1,896 ($2,063).

That’s a no-brainer price for a regular car, but if you want to make a discreet purchase of an electric car without emptying your wallet, it’s about as close to free as you can get for an electric car.

More: 2024 Dacia Spring EV features Duster-style exterior and overhauled interior

This price cut applies to the range’s entry-level Essential Electric 45, powered by a barely there 44 hp (33 kW / 45 PS) electric motor. With such mediocre output, you won’t be surprised to find that the Spring accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 19.1 seconds – no doubt impressive on any road outside the city centre. People are depressed. However, its 26.8 kWh battery has a WLTP range of 225 kilometers (140 miles), which is more than enough for typical city commuting (with a possible detour on weekends).

The basest standard trim keeps things unapologetically basic, according to the company’s official configurator. You get steel wheels with hubcaps, a 7-inch instrument cluster, and a smartphone holder to make up for the lack of an infotainment system. There’s also a USB-C port, manual air conditioning, electric front windows, rear parking sensors and the minimum ADAS setup required by law. It’s the leanest of electric cars, but that’s exactly the point – Dacia doesn’t pretend otherwise.

For vehicles registered in Germany between January and June 2025, the rental offer is valid until December 31, 2024, while supplies last. In other words, this is a true first-come, first-served deal, so you’ll need to act fast if you want to join.

Dacia Spring Essential Electric 45

Dacia Spring Extreme Electric 65

If you prefer outright ownership, Dacia Spring starts at €16,900 ($18,355) for the base Essential Electric 45 and tops out at €19,900 ($21,607) for the flagship Extreme Electric 65. This model has a more powerful electric motor producing 64 hp (48 kW / 65 PS) and offers more extensive standard equipment.

Since its initial launch in Spring 2021, Dacia has sold 35,000 units in Germany, venturing into the budget-conscious EV market with surprising success. But competition is heating up.

What about its competitors?

Leaving aside cheaper heavy-duty four-wheelers like the Citroën Ami, the biggest threat to the Dacia Spring comes from Stellantis-backed zero-run cars, more specifically its newly launched T03. Sure, the T03 may have originated in China, but it was actually assembled on European soil. The affordable electric car starts at €18,900 ($20,529), which is €2,000 ($2,172) more than the entry-level Dacia Spring, which ironically is actually built in China by Dongfeng Renault.

Despite the entry-level price gap, the T03’s sole trim specs and standard equipment are closer to those of Dacia’s mid-range Spring Expression Electric 65, which also sells for €18,900 ($20,529). But even so, the Leaptop still leads with its more powerful 94 hp (70 kW/95 hp) engine and longer WLTP range of 265 km (165 miles), while the Dacia lags behind in both power and range.

All other “mature” electric cars available in Germany are significantly more expensive. The Citroën e-C3, for example, starts at 23,300 euros ($25,307), but a cheaper version with a less powerful motor and a smaller battery pack will be launched next year priced under 20,000 euros.

The Citroën e-C3 made headlines in late 2023 when it went on sale in France for just €54 ($59) per month for three years, with no down payment. However, the plan, which has specific terms and is heavily subsidized by the French government, has since been suspended until 2025.

Going forward, the much-anticipated Fiat Grande Panda may arrive at a competitive price, but it’s doubtful it will undercut the Dacia Spring. Similarly, Renault’s Twingo EV is expected to sell for less than €20,000, but with an expected launch date of 2026, the prospect remains far off. In short, the Spring may be underpowered and unpolished, but for those who just want an EV at the lowest cost, Dacia’s offering still reigns supreme.