Fuel prices in Spain have crossed the 2-euro mark per litre, squeezing drivers who rely on affordable transport. Laurent Sengenes, director general of Dacia España, sees the current incentive system as a roadblock for buyers considering electric cars. He argues that a maze of rules and sudden changes to support schemes risks shutting out those who need cheaper options most.
Sengenes doesn’t mince words. He points to a tangle of regulations and shifting incentives that push up car prices, especially for budget models. “Sometimes we have too many regulations that increase the price of cars, especially for affordable cars,” he says. The fallout hits families already squeezed by rising costs hardest.
Carwow says the second-generation Dacia Spring will be produced in Europe, unlike the current model. That may help it qualify for local support programs.
Dacia’s approach calls for incentives that are direct and predictable. Sengenes wants buyers to see the benefit at the dealership, not months later. He singles out the Plan Auto+ for its retroactive effect from January, calling it a positive step. But he warns that any pause or reversal could choke off electric sales just as momentum starts to build.
Gasoline costs keep climbing, and Sengenes says the push for electrification can’t slow down. Dacia’s answer is to offer electric, hybrid, and LPG models designed to keep running costs low. “We have technologies, precisely, to ensure the best cost of use for our clients,” he says. The brand aims to shrink the mobility budget for Spanish households.
Dacia will launch the new Spring at the Paris Motor Show, with a pre-incentive price under 18,000 euros. Sengenes pitches it as “a very cool car, really, with very good habitability,” aimed at buyers seeking practical electric mobility without a luxury price. The Spring is basic to Dacia’s value-first approach as the brand adds more sustainable technology.
Europapress reports that the new Dacia Spring is built on the RG-EV Small platform, features an 80 hp electric motor and a 27.5 kWh battery, and offers up to 250 km of range (WLTP). Orders for the new generation have already opened in France. The Spanish market is still awaiting final pricing and launch dates.
Dacia isn’t betting everything on battery-only cars. Hybrid technology now runs across its full range. The Sandero, Dacia’s top seller, leads the way, alongside hybrid versions of the Jogger, Duster, and Bigster. Sengenes highlights the Spanish roots of this technology: “It is a technology Made in Spain, developed in Spain, manufactured in Spain, with more than 1,000 engineers in Valladolid.” The Sandero hybrid posts a consumption figure of 4.2 litres per 100 kilometres, a number that matters as fuel prices bite.
Dacia plans to launch four electric models before 2030. The target is for two-thirds of Spanish sales to be electrified vehicles by then. The brand also wants 30% of its sales to come from the C-segment, with models like Jogger, Bigster, and the future Striker in the mix. Sengenes draws a line: growth must fit Dacia’s business model and values. “What we want to do and aspire to is to continue growing, and to continue growing while respecting our Dacia business model and our values.”
Chasing volume for its own sake is off the table. “I think it is value... it is very impressive to have value before volume,” Sengenes says. The strategy is to build a sustainable business, not simply rack up registrations. This approach extends into higher segments, where Dacia is rolling out Bigster and preparing Striker, while tracking what buyers will pay and the efficiency they expect.
The hurdles facing Dacia are familiar across Spain. The country’s electric transition has stumbled over patchy infrastructure and policy swings, as recent reporting on underused charging stations has shown. Sengenes’s point is blunt: without stable, transparent support, even the best technology can stall before it reaches the mainstream.
