PARIS (Reuters) – Dacia, Renault's low-cost brand, announced on Tuesday a 2,000 euro drop in the starting price of its small electric Spring in France, kicking off discounts expected in 2025 to support sales of electric cars (EV) in a still sluggish market.
In France, the second largest automobile market in continental Europe, EV registrations stagnated last year at around 16.9% of total sales, while to achieve the new European CO2 objectives, an average of 22% would be needed. .
Analysts expect manufacturers to resort to discounts on their electric range to manage their sales mix and face new competition from Chinese brands. The most affordable version of the Spring is already marketed in several European countries, but had not yet been launched in France, the main market for the electric Dacia in its early days.
Dacia now offers a less powerful version of its Spring, with an engine delivering 45 horsepower and a starting price of 16,900 euros, while the model previously started on the French market at 18,900 euros with a power of 65 horsepower.
These prices are without ecological bonus since the car, imported from China, has been deprived of French public aid for purchases since the end of 2023.
On the 45 and 65 versions, the battery remains the same at 26.8 kilowatt hours (kWh) and the range is around 225 km.
(Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, edited by Kate Entringer)
France
