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The Euros strike back! The cheap yet chic EVs matching and even beating BYD Dolphin, MG4 and other Chinese electric cars

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The Dacia Spring Electric is the poster child for Europe's offensive against China in the race to more affordable EVs.
Byron Mathioudakis
Contributing Journalist
2 Mar 2024
7 min read

Isn’t competition a wonderful thing?

Right now, battlelines are being drawn at the lower end of the electric vehicle (EV) market around the world, as carmakers reeling from China’s allegedly State-backed global EV push go on the offensive.

With double and triple-digit volume growth from low-priced brands such as BYD, Wuling, MG, GWM and Chery, Europe is now on the offensive in a massive way – especially France.

We’re taking about the so-called old-school ‘legacy’ brands like Peugeot, Renault, Citroen and Opel, who are absolutely determined to claw back buyers attracted to cheaper Chinese EVs like the BYD Dolphin.

It isn’t all just rhetoric either, with one model already selling for well-under $30,000 – and it’s not some tinny and cramped microcar either, but a proper Mazda CX-3-sized crossover – while others costing not much more are coming oozing charisma, quality and talent!

Here, then, are the keenly-priced Euro hotshots that will make EVs more affordable – even if some don’t end up actually making it here – for Australians just by the competition they create.

Dacia Spring Electric

Launched in 2021, the Dacia Spring Electric is an electrified version of a low-cost Renault baby crossover dating back to the latter part of the last decade.

A joint venture with Dongfeng and built in China to cap costs, the Romanian-branded but French-owned EV is a smash hit in Europe, despite scoring just one star in the Euro NCAP crash-test rating, with prices for the bare-bones model starting under $27,000.

The Dacia Spring Electric has just been facelifted for 2024.
The Dacia Spring Electric has just been facelifted for 2024.

It’s also efficient. Shockingly for an EV, the Spring weighs less than a tonne (a BYD Dolphin is over 1500kg), helping its comparatively small 25kWh battery manage a WLTP range of 230km.

Now a major facelift has been announced for 2024, gaining big safety improvements, important tech upgrades, a funky new dash and – crucially – right-hand-drive availability, boosting its competitiveness. Yet, best of all, it still slips under the $30,000 barrier.

The Dacia Spring Electric is one of Europe's most popular EVs - and it's all down to a low price.
The Dacia Spring Electric is one of Europe's most popular EVs - and it's all down to a low price.

Though Dacias are heading here next year lead by the recently-unveiled new-gen Duster compact SUV, Australians most probably won’t see the Spring in Australia any time soon.

However, its global success is pushing rivals to respond with equally cheap EVs, so the plucky little crossover’s influence will still be profoundly felt here anyway.

Renault 5 EV

The star of this year’s Geneva Motor Show, the Renault 5 E-Tech is much more than just a revival of a beloved French supermini with evocative retro styling and ‘70s-era bright paint.

Not much changed from the 2021 concept car to the R5 E-Tech production version.
Not much changed from the 2021 concept car to the R5 E-Tech production version.

Under the alluring skin is the Renault Group’s AmpR Small platform – a scalable, modular architecture formerly known as CMF-BEV, that will also underpin a range of other compact EV cars and SUVs to help spread development costs – and save buyers money.

The Renault 5 E-Tech was the star of this year's Geneva Motor Show.
The Renault 5 E-Tech was the star of this year's Geneva Motor Show.

As such, when it arrives sometime from next year, the Toyota Yaris-sized R5 E-Tech is expected to substantially undercut direct rivals like the (smaller) Mini Electric and Fiat 500e as a sub-$50K proposition.

The 1972 Renault 5 original served as strong design inspiration for the 2024 EV revival.
The 1972 Renault 5 original served as strong design inspiration for the 2024 EV revival.

Renault has made it clear that the goal is “to democratise electric technology in Europe”, as CEO Luca De Meo told one publication recently.

With its beautifully presented interior, advanced chassis dynamics (including a multi-link rear suspension design), long-range battery options and delightful appearance, the R5 E-Tech has what it takes to be an EV superstar.

Nissan Micra Electric

The R5 E-Tech will also spawn a Nissan version brandishing the familiar Micra badge.

Developed concurrently in France and Japan, it may nonetheless wear an entirely new body, but use much of the Renault’s underpinnings and technology.

Though far from being the final production model, this concept shows where the next Nissan Micra is heading.
Though far from being the final production model, this concept shows where the next Nissan Micra is heading.

It’s expected to break cover soon in Europe, and should also be keenly priced, but little else is known about the sixth-gen Micra other than it will be all-electric. And not look much like the Concept 20-23 pictured here.

Nissan is expected to unveil the production version of the Concept 20-23 this year.
Nissan is expected to unveil the production version of the Concept 20-23 this year.

But we have a question: if the Nissan is so slavishly following in Renault’s footsteps with its diminutive EV hatch, why not go all the way by exhuming a long-dormant retro nameplate as well, like Sunny, 120Y or Tiida? (Too soon?)

Renault 4 E-Tech

Essentially an R5 but with a higher-riding and larger, SUV-like body, the R4 E-Tech continues to mine Renault’s illustrious back-catalogue by reimagining one of its most-beloved models – the original R4 of the 1960s.

Based on the Renault 5 E-Tech, the R4 E-Tech is bigger and more family-orientated in its packaging.
Based on the Renault 5 E-Tech, the R4 E-Tech is bigger and more family-orientated in its packaging.

As one of the world’s first mass-production hatchbacks, the original was an affordable and unbelievably durable go-anywhere budget family car that emphasised simplicity, hitherto unheard-of versatility and low-cost running.

The production version of the R4 E-Tech will be less extreme than this concept.
The production version of the R4 E-Tech will be less extreme than this concept.

This time around, the R4 E-Tech’s mission is to make EV crossovers more affordable, so it’s fair to also expect sub-$50K pricing as the Renault prepares to take on the likes of the BYD Atto 3.

Given the overall domination of SUVs, this could end up being Renault’s best-selling EV.

Renault Twingo E-Tech

Yet another Renault that has raided the past to stake its EV future on, the Twingo E-Tech visually namechecks the 1993 original, which helped kickstart the sub-B ‘city car’ segment populated by icons such as the Fiat 500, Ford Ka, Kia Picanto and Volkswagen Up.

There's plenty visible here from the 1993 Renault Twingo original.
There's plenty visible here from the 1993 Renault Twingo original.

The company hopes the 2026 Twingo revival does the same for truly-affordable EVs, aiming for a mid-to-high-$20K price point, to effectively supplement what the in-house Dacia Spring Electric has managed, but in a far-cuter, more modern and sophisticated package.

The 2026 Renault Twingo E-Tech aims to be one of the cheapest EVs on the market.
The 2026 Renault Twingo E-Tech aims to be one of the cheapest EVs on the market.

To that end, the smallest iteration yet of the R5/R4’s AmpR platform is expected to underpin the Twingo E-Tech, tuned to deliver what Renault CEO de Meo claims will be the “best-in-class” efficiency and dramatically-slashed cradle-to-grave CO2 emissions.

It’s also rumoured to be twinned with another carmaker to help drive costs down – possibly arch-rival Volkswagen.

Citroen e-C3

Renault isn’t the only company doing the heavy lifting in the name of cheaper European EVs.

The Citroen e-C3 is the Stellantis Group's answer to the Dacia Spring Electric.
The Citroen e-C3 is the Stellantis Group's answer to the Dacia Spring Electric.

Citroen – part of the giant Stellantis conglomerate – has developed its own, high-riding crossover rival to the Dacia Spring Electric in the soon-to-be-released form of the e-C3.

Being considerably fresher, the latter will nonetheless attract buyers with pricing said to start from around $33,000 in Europe, again undercutting the Dolphin and MG EVs. The chunky design, quality interior and thoughtful packaging should also win it friends.

The e-C3 is the fourth-generation small Citroen hatchback to wear the C3 badge since 2002.
The e-C3 is the fourth-generation small Citroen hatchback to wear the C3 badge since 2002.

Citroen isn’t saying whether Australians will see the car after it launches in Europe this year, but the e-C3’s anticipated cousin models wearing other Stellantis branding might make it to our shores, including from Peugeot, Fiat and even Jeep.

Vauxhall Corsa Electric Yes

Another Stellantis brand after Peugeot took control in 2017 from General Motors, Germany’s Opel (and Vauxhall as its UK division is known as) is going great guns in Europe with its Corsa and Mokka supermini and small SUV respectively.

The Vauxhall Corsa Electric is related to the Peugeot e-208 heading to Australia soon.
The Vauxhall Corsa Electric is related to the Peugeot e-208 heading to Australia soon.

Based on the Peugeot 208, the latest Corsa also comes in an EV model called Electric, and it normally retails from about $50,000. However, last month, Vauxhall announced the Corsa Electric Yes Edition, slashing about $10,600 off the price to put it lineball with the highly-successful MG4. And the latter starts from just under $39,000 in Australia.

Vauxhall in the UK has slashed over ,500 off the price of its popular Corsa Electric.
Vauxhall in the UK has slashed over ,500 off the price of its popular Corsa Electric.

The point is, while Australia may not see the return of the Opel brand like New Zealand has any time soon, this is another example of Europe taking the fight right up to China in the EV sphere.

And the competition that creates as a result will benefit all EV buyers the world over.

Byron Mathioudakis
Contributing Journalist
Byron started his motoring journalism career when he joined John Mellor in 1997 before becoming a freelance motoring writer two years later. He wrote for several motoring publications and was ABC Youth radio Triple J's "all things automotive" correspondent from 2001 to 2003. He rejoined John Mellor in early 2003 and has been with GoAutoMedia as a senior product and industry journalist ever since. With an eye for detail and a vast knowledge base of both new and used cars Byron lives and breathes motoring. His encyclopedic knowledge of cars was acquired from childhood by reading just about every issue of every car magazine ever to hit a newsstand in Australia. The child Byron was the consummate car spotter, devoured and collected anything written about cars that he could lay his hands on and by nine had driven more imaginary miles at the wheel of the family Ford Falcon in the driveway at home than many people drive in a lifetime. The teenage Byron filled in the agonising years leading up to getting his driver's license by reading the words of the leading motoring editors of the country and learning what they look for in a car and how to write it. In short, Byron loves cars and knows pretty much all there is to know about every vehicle released during his lifetime as well as most of the ones that were around before then.
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