Dacia boss Denis Le Vot has confirmed that the next generation of Europe’s best-selling car, the Dacia Sandero, will be going electric – but it’s not due until 2027.
Dacia currently only has one electric car in its line-up, the £14,995 Dacia Spring. However, speaking at the Paris Motor Show, Le Vot confirmed that electrification was coming for the rest of the range with the top-selling Sandero next in line to go fully electric.
As the value brand of the Renault Group, Dacia uses technology from other vehicles within the group and has to take its turn, as Le Vot explained. “Electrification of Dacia as a brand must be considered with Renault as a group,” he said. “Renault as a brand is going quicker, Dacia is not standing still – it’s moving.
“As Dacia we are going to run through the electrification of our cars. Our next serious rendezvous will be the electrification of the next-gen Sandero which will be approximately at the end of 2027.”
With Dacia now developing cars in double-quick time, Le Vot admitted that work on the new Sandero wouldn’t be starting for at least another twelve months, with decisions taken on what Renault Group technology Dacia uses made after that time.
“We now develop cars in something like 100 weeks,” said Le Vot. “Which means when you make a rendezvous at the end of 2027 and you come back 100 weeks, that is Christmas 2025 and it’s not Christmas 2024 yet!
“Dacia is growing using the technical bricks of the group and choosing at the last moment the best solution. There are plenty of technical bricks already on the Renault 5, there are other bricks coming on the Renault 4 and on the Twingo – so technical bricks are not missing.
“Our business model is that we do nothing, we are lazy and we work up late, and we make the choice at the last moment.”
Le Vot also revealed that Dacia is looking at Renault Group’s Mobilize mobility models like the tiny Duo, a four-wheeled scooter and successor to the Renault Twizzy. The Duo was another Renault Group model launched at the Paris Motor Show. “We’re looking at it, we’re looking at it,” said Le Vot. “So, any size of car – we are not doing nothing. We are just perfectly scanning what is the potential.”
The car manufacturer is already learning a lot about electric car usage from Dacia owners. Le Vot said: “I can tell you that the average mileage they do is 37km [23 miles] in an average of five trips, and it’s by far the most used car in the family.”
Le Vot also hinted that a cheaper version of the Spring, thanks to a smaller battery, would also be popular among potential buyers, saying: “The battery’s too big! When you do 37km a day and you have WLTP city usage range of 300km, you could have half the battery and it would still work.”
However, Le Vot admitted that most current Spring owners have parking at their house, with sales in the countryside more than in the city – contrary to what was expected.
