Dacia has been thinking about electrifying its range for a few years now, and they have finally got the Renault Group’s blessing to do so.
This information comes from the French automaker’s 2019 financial report, revealing the ‘Dacia Urban City Car’ name. It’s an entirely new vehicle that’s due to come out in 2021-2022, according to the roadmap.
Your guess is as good as ours as to what it will be, although it will have to be affordable. So, what such models does Renault have, that could lend their technology to the Romanian brand? The Zoe subcompact hatchback for one – which was updated last year, and has a WLTP range of 395 km (245 miles).
Read Also: Dacia Hybrid SUV Rumored To Help Lower The Automaker’s Emissions
Our money would be on a rebadged version of the City K-ZE, though, a tiny electric vehicle sold in China that’s getting ready to launch in Europe in “a special version”, according to Renault’s chief of EVs, Gilles Normand. The Chinese variant features a tiny electric motor making 44 horsepower and 119 Nm (88 lb-ft) of torque, and a battery that gives it the juice to run for up to 250 km (155 miles) in the old NEDC test cycle.
Renault City K-ZE
The Euro-spec will, however, be updated to better suit the needs of customers, so an improved range is tipped to be on the ‘to do’ list. In China, the City K-ZE starts from the equivalent of just under €8,000 (~$8,700), but in Europe, it could cost around €11,000 (~$12,000).
In other related news, Renault has also confirmed the Twingo Z.E., a zero-emission version of the A-segment car, for 2020, as well as a new BEV that will be based on the CMF-EV architecture for 2021-2022. Joining the auto firm’s electrified range in 2021-2022 will be two plug-in hybrids and four hybrids.
