Dacia has shaken up the UK electric car market by slashing the price for its Spring EV to just £11,990.

The aggressive price cut means the electric city car instantly reclaims its title as the UK’s cheapest new car on sale, undercutting Chinese newcomer Leapmotor T03 by more than £1,000 just 24 hours after it briefly took the top spot.

The Spring had previously been sold for £15,990, although Dacia had been offering its own manufacturer-backed Electric Car Grant to lower the cost.

The move comes just days after Dacia teased its next-generation Spring EV ahead of its unveiling this autumn.

Despite the entry-level price tag, Dacia avoids a bare-bones feel by packing high-value equipment into every configuration.

The range is divided into two distinct, budget-friendly tiers.

The entry-level Expression model includes air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors, a digital instrument display and Dacia’s clever Media Control system with steering wheel-mounted controls. It features a newly updated 70hp electric motor.

For an extra £1,000, the Spring Extreme Electric 100 adds a more powerful 100hp motor, alongside a 10.1-inch Media Nav Live with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, vehicle-to-load functionality, copper-accented styling, electric rear windows and a reversing camera.

The city car recently underwent a major technical upgrade. It now sports an updated chassis, a high-tech Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery, retuned suspension and upgraded brakes. Thanks to the upgrades, the current Spring offers a WLTP combined range of up to 140 miles and can recharge from 20% to 80% in as little as 29 minutes.

While compact on the outside, the Spring maximises interior space. Both models boast a 308-litre boot, expanding up to 1,004 litres with the rear seats folded, while Dacia’s YouClip accessory system makes the cabin more practical and user-friendly than ever.

Lina Ribeiro, Dacia brand director for the UK, said: “Dacia has always worked hard to remove barriers to new car ownership, and with Spring’s new pricing, it takes our purpose further than ever. Production efficiencies and a strong drive to continue to offer real value to our customers have helped us pass on the savings and as such the most affordable new car on the market, electric or otherwise, is one of the smartest value choices on the road today. When the price is clear and the running costs are low, going electric simply makes sense.”