The Dacia Spring is currently one of the cheapest electric cars on the German automotive market. Dacia remains true to its philosophy and offers simple and solid vehicles at a reasonable price. Simple solutions are not always good solutions and limits quickly become apparent in driving practice. A summer test shows the Spring's strengths and weaknesses relatively quickly.
New drive concepts need completely new platforms for electric cars to optimize range and driving performance. In recent years, for example, numerous newly developed platforms from global vehicle manufacturers have appeared for the coming generations of electric vehicles, from pre-series production to production readiness. We take a look at the special requirements for emission-free bodies.
In the last NCAP crash test from December 2021, the base model Zoe "Zen" did not get a single star in the overall rating. The shock at Renault must have been very deep, because the first test in 2013 was still a full 5 stars. However, the revised safety standards in the crash test now make the basic model look significantly worse. Renault reacted to this with the current revision of the price list.
With the fifth generation, Opel has expanded the combo with a purely electric drive. The Life version is a family van designed for medium-haul travel. As an all-rounder, it can be used both for larger transports and as a small team bus. We look at the inner and outer values of the E-Combo.
The public charging infrastructure will grow rapidly this year. Tesla alone has installed over 6.000 charging points in Europe. With each newly built station, the charging capacity often increases as well. At Tesla, the new “V250” superchargers with an output of up to 3 kW have increased the charging speed to up to 1600 kilometers per hour under optimal conditions. This means that the Model 3 can achieve a maximum range of 120 kilometers in 5 minutes. As the number of charging stations increases, so does the range of mobile charging tariffs. The overview for the cheapest tariff is linked to the special conditions contained therein. To choose the right tariff, it is worth taking a closer look at the cost traps.
Volvo Car is continuously expanding its own portfolio with further electrified models. One of the most interesting new releases of 2002 is the all-electric Volvo C40 Coupe. The demand for coupes among SUVs has increased slightly in recent years. At Volvo, the focus is on traditional values such as the comfortable interior and the large, trapezoidal central information display combined with new, purely digital elements. Our summer test 2022 focuses on comfort features and driving culture.