E-car hipster – Dacia is planning an electric car for under 10,000 euros

With the Hipster concept study, Dacia shows what a low-cost electric model of the near future could look like. European mobility at a starting price of less than 10,000 euros could make the Renault offshoot more interesting than micromobiles such as Opel Rocks, Fiat Topolino or Citroën Ami.

Increasing electrification and customers’ desire for ever more comfort in their cars are threatening to cut off the juice in the A segment. A lot of technology and ever new specifications make the vehicles more expensive than ever, and so it’s hard to make any money in the once popular entry-level league – especially not with a plug. Dacia wants to change that with its electric hipster. The gap that opens up in the class under 10,000 euros has so far been inadequately filled by a few micromobiles, which are more like covered scooters and, at 45 km/h, are only suitable for the crowded city center.

In Japan, the tiny Kei cars – heavily tax-subsidized – have been a top seller for urban mobility since the 1950s. Since 1998, the law has stipulated a maximum vehicle length of 3.4 meters and a displacement of less than 660 cc. For a long time, the market share of this segment fluctuated between 30 and 40 percent of new registrations in the country. In those years when the government reduced tax incentives, the dominance of kei cars lost some of its importance, but by 2024 their market share was back to 38 percent and they dominated the top 10 sales figures. Suzuki was the market leader in this segment last year with 590,000 registrations out of a total of 1.5 million. Now voices are becoming louder in Europe that something similar to the Kei category could boost sales of electric vehicles in Europe and breathe life back into the former A segment with models like the Citroën C1 or VW Up.

When it comes to affordable vehicles, Dacia is the reference brand in Europe with Logan, Sandero and the electric Spring. Now the French have dreamed up what a new entry-level model with electric drive could look like. The Dacia Hipster study offers affordable mobility and promises to halve the carbon footprint compared to electric vehicles currently on the market. Romain Gauvin, Head of Advanced Design and Exterior Design at Dacia says: “This is the most quintessentially Dacia project I’ve ever worked on. It has the same social significance as the Logan 20 years ago. And it’s about inventing something that doesn’t exist today.”

In a three meter long (1.52 m high and 1.55 m wide) cabin, the Hipster offers space for four adults and a tiny trunk of 70 liters. However, if the two front seats alone are used, up to 500 liters are available. At 800 kilograms, the empty weight is significantly less than the Spring. However, a battery of around ten kWh would only enable a range of a manageable 100 kilometers, even in warm temperatures.

The exterior design can be summarized as a cube on wheels without overhangs with slim headlights in the very horizontal front, giving it a serious but friendly look. It features a single body color and only three painted parts: the front of the vehicle and the side door entry panels. The exterior door handle has been replaced with a strap that is lighter and less expensive, but still effective. At the rear, the tailgate covers the entire width of the Hipster Concept’s body and can be opened in two parts. The design of the taillights is the result of a typical Dacia solution: as they are positioned behind the tailgate, they do not require their own glass cover.

Inside, vertical windows and windshield allow for optimal use of space, while access to the rear seats is made easier by the wide door opening and the front passenger seat that folds forward. The front seats merge into a bench, a simple feature that again evokes the iconic, popular cars of the past, while the perforated headrests once again contribute to weight reduction. The dashboard and interior panels are kept extremely simple and can be customized with individual modules such as cup holders, armrests or lighting elements from the accessories range. Additional attachment points inside accommodate smartphones or cup holders.