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If you've been waiting for a small EV van that's genuinely usable and really affordable, here it is, Dacia's Spring Cargo. It's the kind of urban delivery vehicle we ought to be seeing more of by now, but for the time being, there's nothing quite like it.
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Driving experience
Obviously, the mechanical formula here is exactly the same as the Spring supermini. This Cargo van doesn't bother with the hatch model's entry-level 45hp drivetrain, focusing instead on the slightly gutsier 65hp motor. Like all Spring models, this one comes with a small 26.8kWh battery pack, which allows for a relatively meagre 140 mile range figure. But you won't be choosing a Spring Cargo for long journeys - or for performance; this LCV makes 62mph in just under 14s, though because the first 30mph is dispatched so quickly, it feels faster than that, helped by a light kerb weight of just 984kg.
The tight turning circle, super-light steering and the small exterior size make the Spring Cargo a great city van. Its turning radius is a tight 4.8m. Predictably, it's less comfortable on the motorway, where it can get blown about by HGVs and going above 70mph takes quite a bit of driver determination. Best to keep this Dacia in its comfort zone, zipping about the suburbs, where it's really quite a fun companion.
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Design and build
You wouldn't immediately pigeonhole this as a van. The compact dimensions (it's only 3.7m long) will be ideal for city use. And there are 14-inch steel wheels. The only real difference over the Spring supermini is the opaque covering for the rear windows. Inside, it's almost exactly the same as you'd get in the ordinary small hatch version too. You start the van by turning an old-fashioned key. Drive is engaged by twisting the chunky auto shifter, which has just three settings, D, N and R. For Park, you shift to N and pull on the manual handbrake.
Behind the wheel, you're seated on durable grey fabric upholstery and all the buttons and switches are huge, the infotainment screen works well and the dials are clear, but the squashy seat positions you quite high and you can't adjust the steering wheel. There's just a single wiper.
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Market and model
Dacia wants this to be the UK's cheapest EV van, so from launch priced this Spring Cargo at a level that, after deduction of the available government Plug-in Van Grant, sees it retail at just over £16,000. To keep things simple when it comes to spec, the Spring Cargo comes only with solid 'Polar White' paint. Standard specification includes a 10-inch display with Media Nav Live and Smartphone replication, plus Bluetooth, a USB port, cruise control, manual air conditioning, electric front windows, remote central locking, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. If the driver needs to power any 240V accessories while at work, the Spring Cargo has Bi-directional, vehicle to load (V2L) capability.
Dacia has also included various camera safety features - lane-keeping assistance, advanced emergency braking and driver attention monitoring. As you'd expect, there are also twin front airbags, linked to an emergency call function that'll summon the emergency services to your exact GPS location if they ever inflate. There's also a tyre pressure monitor and Traffic sign recognition.
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Summary
Might this just be the best version of the Dacia Spring? Some urban delivery companies might think so. Yes EV range and load capacity are restricted, but so too is the price. And neither long range or spacious capacity are really needed by many of the last-mile urban delivery companies and city couriers being targeted here.
We'd still like to have seen a larger battery with greater range, but that of course would have pushed up the price, which Dacia has kept laudably low. Almost everything you need from a tiny EV van then, and nothing you don't. Will the Chinese brands respond?
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