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By Jonathan Crouch

The Dacia Spring Cargo van is the market's cheapest electric van. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 47

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.

Backgroundword count: 97

What might be the market's cheapest electric van be like? In the Dacia Spring Cargo, we have our answer. It only goes 140 miles between charges, but that's probably all an urban-orientated last-mile delivery fleet operator would need. You can't take much inside of course - this is basically just a version of the Spring supermini with the rear seat taken out. But if you're urban-based - say a courier or a flower seller - and want this vehicle for small short hop deliveries, that might not matter. Let's take a look at what's on offer here.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 174

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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