range measured at 100 and 130 km/h

The Dacia Spring is the cheapest electric car in the Netherlands and it shows. It has a small battery of 26.8 kWh and according to the brochure it does not go faster than 125 km/h. In reality, both numbers work out slightly differently, but more about that later.

It is not our intention to bully the Dacia Spring. We also understand that it is intended as a city car or as a second car. That’s why we start with a range test inside and outside the city, so brake regularly before roundabouts and never drive faster than 80 km/h. It’s 14 degrees. This results in an average consumption of 11.9 kWh/100 km and a range that is very close to the promised 225 kilometers. So that number is not a myth.

Dacia Spring Electric: net battery capacity

The advantage of a test car with a small battery is that we often drive it empty during our test week. That is educational, because Dacia communicates a capacity of 26.8 kWh, without stating whether this is gross or net. We managed to wring a maximum of 25.5 kWh from the battery. So we take that into account.

During our test drives at 100 and 130 km/h it cooled down to 5 to 8 degrees outside, so consider this an autumn/winter test.

Dacia Spring Electric 65: range at 100 km/h

The Spring is small and light, even the top model with 65 hp weighs only 949 kg. But you don’t see any of that in the power consumption on the highway. At 100 km/h the little Dacia runs just as well 16.9 kWh/100 km through. If you drive a full battery with a usable capacity of 25.5 kWh completely empty, you will arrive 151 kilometer ver.

Our climate control and other systems are responsible for almost 10 percent of our power consumption. On less cold days, 1.6 kWh/100 km or 15 kilometers of driving range can be gained.

Dacia Spring Electric 65: range at 130 km/h

Forget the top speed in the brochure (125 km/h), the Dacia Spring actually goes 130 km/h according to its own speedometer. That is also the top speed – it really doesn’t want to go any faster. And it is quite an experience: it sounds like you are driving through a hurricane, the wind hits the windshield so loudly. All the sound insulation seems to come from the napkins that factory employees accidentally dropped into the bodywork during Fry Friday.

You know who never misses a range test? Readers of our newsletter!

Then the numbers: at 130 km/h the power consumption shoots up 24.6 kWh/100 km. Converted, the Spring Electric 65 can do this 103 kilometer hold on for a long time. Our test route is a hundred kilometers long and after 85 kilometers we started to squeeze it. It’s scary to see one percent of the battery disappear for every kilometer you travel…

Real range in relation to WLTP

• Range WLTP – 225 km – 100%
• Range 50 to 80 km/h – 214 km – 95%
• Range 100 km/h – 151 km – 67%
• Range 130 km/h – 103 km – 46%

Conclusion

If you use the Dacia Spring for its intended purpose, you can travel 150 to 225 kilometers on a single battery charge. With such a small battery that is a logical range.

But we are heartened when potential EV buyers quote the city cycle (!) of 305 kilometers stated by Dacia as if that is the real range. Now you know what happens as soon as those people turn onto the highway: they don’t even get half as far… In short, know what you get if you choose the Dacia Spring. A nice car for short distances.