Heavy electric cars 'not acceptable', says Dacia sales VP

Dacia's focus is on reducing vehicle weight by only selling them with what it deems "essential" equipment

Romanian brand believes that large EV batteries – and their weight – don't make sense

A greater emphasis needs to be put on efficiency to curb soaring weights of electric cars, according to Dacia’s vice-president of sales, marketing and operations, Xavier Martinet.

Highlighting Dacia’s focus on reducing the weight of its cars, particularly by only selling them with what it deems “essential” equipment, he said: “If we are serious about collectively reducing emissions, then excessive weight should not be acceptable.

“It is a philosophy that we have shown with the Spring, which weighs 975kg, and intend to stand behind in future. That is a car that is driven an average of 25 miles a day at an average speed of 18mph - there is no need for a big, heavy battery or a powerful motor.”

Talking about larger electric vehicles, particularly SUVs, being launched by some rivals at the moment, he added: “It doesn’t make sense. It is insanity to allow people to build two, three tonne vehicles that are occupied by one person and which drive just 35 miles a day.”

Examples of heavy electric cars include the the BMW i7 at up to 2715kg and Mercedes-Benz EQS at 2810kg. The Rolls-Royce Spectre is expected to weigh just less than three-tonnes when it is finalised for production, while other luxury car makers are expected to produce near-three tonne vehicles with upcoming launches.

Asked whether Dacia would consider taking that philosophy further and potentially develop a vehicle to rival the Citroën Ami, a two-seat, city focused, speed-limited, quadricycle Martinet added: “There is not one answer to mobility solutions in this fragmented world, with more change coming in the next 20 years than the last 100. Everyone must come with their strengths - and if we try to copy each other we just end up as bad copies.

“Brands need to define their values and what they stand for. I think Dacia’s strength today is that its position is super-clear.”