Let’s remember how Dacia presented the concept of affordable electric mobility last fall. It is a Hipster concept model that has everything you need from a car for every day. It is only 3 meters long, 153 centimeters high and 155 cm wide, has four full-size seats and an adjustable trunk (from 70 to 500 liters). Dacia brought this model to Slovenia, specifically to Vrana, where the Dacia Day event took place.
The range is adapted to real needs and is sufficient for everyday driving with only two charges per week. In this respect, the Dacia Hipster Concept responds to the real needs of customers. Namely, in France, as many as 94% of drivers travel less than 40 kilometers per day. The range of this model should be about 150 kilometers. When it introduced Spring, Dacia became the brand that made electric mobility affordable. Now it is going a step further in its desire to reach customers who until now could not find an electric car that fits their budget. Between 2010 and 2024, average new car prices in Europe increased by 77%, outpacing the growth in purchasing power of European households, so this is a model that should be at the top of the best value list.
Guided by its own philosophy, Dacia reduced the weight of the vehicle by 20% compared to the Spring. Less weight also means less consumption of raw materials, less energy consumption in production and less consumption in driving. The goal is clear – to halve the total carbon footprint during the entire life cycle of the vehicle compared to the best electric models of today. The durability of this concept model is emphasized. The side protections are made of Starkle material developed by Dacia engineers, which is partially derived from recycled sources, and there is also the front and rear underbody protection painted in mass… The interior is designed to make the most of the space inside the compact body and is in harmony with the boxy exterior.
As part of the Dacia Day event, the well-known Romanian manufacturer presented a range of its models, on which it made numerous changes. Sandero, Sandero Stepway and Jogger received new powertrains, refreshed design and richer equipment, while Duster and Bigster have a new Hybrid-G 150 4×4 powertrain. In addition, Dacia has expanded the offer of additional equipment InNature and YouClip.
Let’s go in order. The Jogger gets the Hybrid 155, which combines a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a power of 109 hp, two electric motors (the main one with 50 hp and a high-voltage electric starter-generator), a battery with a capacity of 1.4 kWh (230 V) and an automatic electrified gearbox with four gears for the internal combustion engine and two for electric mode. This technology does not require a clutch, and the new system reduces emissions and fuel consumption by 10% compared to the previous version of the Hybrid 140.
Furthermore, Sandero, Sandero Stepway and Jogger come with a new, more powerful 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbo engine (120 HP instead of the previous 100 HP) that also has gas installations. The novelty is that the Eco-G engine can also come with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Drivers can control the gearbox with the help of levers behind the steering wheel, which is new in Dacia’s offer. It is also good news that the volume of the liquefied petroleum gas tank has been increased. Sandero and Sandero Stepway come with a volume of 49.6 l instead of the previous 40 l, while the Jogger has a volume of 48.8 l available. This increased the reach of the liquefied petroleum gas plant by 20%. So now Sandero has a total range (LPG + gasoline) of 1590 km, Stepway 1480 km and Jogger 1450 km.
In addition to the Sandero powertrains, the Sandero Stepway and Jogger are the first in the Dacia range to receive a new LED light signature in the form of a flat letter ‘T’ located above the headlights. At the rear, new LED pixel lights follow the line of the trunk glass. The rugged design of the Sander Stepway is emphasized by a new matte black slotted strip that runs between the taillights and the redesigned bumper.
The Sandero Stepway and Jogger now feature new protective elements made of Starkle material on the wheel arches, lower body part and fog light frames. This material was designed by Dacia engineers, and it was used for the first time on the new Duster. It contains 20% recycled plastic and is used in its original form without coloring. In this way, the carbon footprint in production is reduced, and the final product is more resistant to everyday scratches. A new Amber metallic yellow body color debuts on the Sandero and Sandero Stepway, while the Sandstone color is now available on the Sandero and Jogger
Customers who want a higher level of comfort and safety can now choose three new features: automatic headlights, a multi-angle camera system and power-folding exterior mirrors. The offer also includes a new multimedia system with a 10-inch central screen and connected navigation, as well as a wireless charger for smartphones. Also, the 7-inch digital instrument panel received a new, clearer interface. There are also new driving assistance systems that meet the latest European safety standards. Among them are automatic emergency braking (in the city and on the open road, with recognition of other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists) and driver fatigue warning.
The largest models in the range, Duster and Bigster, received a new Hybrid-G 150 4×4 drivetrain. As the name suggests, it is a system that combines hybrid technology, a dual-fuel engine (gasoline/LPG) and all-wheel drive. The drive consists of a front mild hybrid (1.2-liter 48 V mild hybrid with a power of 103 kW / 140 hp) and a rear electric motor (power of 23 kW / 31 hp). It develops a total of 113 kW / 154 hp, with the torque of the thermal engine being 230 Nm, and the rear electric motor up to 87 Nm. The thermal engine is mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, while the electric motor is mated to a two-speed transmission with a rear axle drive cut-out function.
The main advantage of the two-stage transmission in combination with the electric motor on the rear axle is the delivery of high torque at low speeds in the first gear, while at higher speeds it reduces the speed of rotation of the electric motor and at the same time maintains strong grip of the rear wheels up to 140 km/h. The neutral position (clutch disengaged) eliminates frictional losses, thus reducing fuel consumption when two-wheel drive is selected. The interesting thing is the fact that the electric motor uses 48-volt technology. Drivers also have a dual-clutch gearbox at their disposal, which they can control with the help of levers on the steering wheel. This feature is extremely useful in off-road driving, when towing a trailer, on mountain climbs and in similar specific situations. We tried it in just such circumstances, on the muddy training ground of the Vransko center.
Thanks to the electric motor on the rear wheels and the self-rechargeable 48 V lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 0.84 kWh, the drivetrain can often run on electricity alone. According to official data, Duster and Bigster Hybrid-G 150 4×4 can operate on 100% electric drive up to 60% of the time in the city. In the current situation, when gasoline and diesel prices are rising very high, there is a gas price of 1.14 euros, which means savings while using this fuel.
These new versions of the Duster and Bigster models offer six modes of operation. These are: Auto – automatically switches between 4×2 and 4×4 modes; Eco – maximum savings, switching to all-wheel drive in case of poor traction; Snow – safer driving on slippery roads in 4×4 mode; Mud / Sand – permanent drive in 4×4 mode, facilitates driving on loose terrain; Lock – driving on demanding terrain at low speeds and Hill Descent Control – control of speed and maneuverability when going downhill (3-30 km/h). Additionally, it should be noted that the Duster Hybrid 155 replaces the Hybrid 140, the Mild Hybrid 140 replaces the Mild Hybrid 130 while the Eco-G 120 replaces the Eco-G 100.
The novelty of the Duster and Bigster models is that the Journey equipment level gets new upholstery and details in the same style, and the driver’s seat can now be adjusted in the lumbar area. In addition, the Extreme level now comes with new black alloy wheels. When choosing the hybrid powertrain, both trim levels come with adaptive cruise control (standard on the Journey version and optional on the Extreme version).
On the current Duster or Bigster, Dacia presented YouClip accessories, which have now been extended to a case for glasses and a shopping bag made of 100% recycled material. In addition, the additional attachment points of the YouClip accessories in the Sandero and Sandero Stepway models increase from three to five, while in the Jogger this number increases from four to six.
