British drivers offered 'gamechanger' deal to get popular new electric vehicle for just £195 a month

The 65hp motor coupled with a 45-minute charge time (from 20 per cent to 80 per cent) makes the Spring a suitable urban car for commuters and families.

A new offer from Octopus Electric Vehicles has now made the Dacia Spring the best-value EV to lease as part of its first order for its salary sacrifice scheme.

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The offer allows motorists to get behind the wheel of a new Spring EV from £195 a month through their employer, by paying through their gross salary.

This allows them to save up to 40 per cent on income tax and national insurance, as well as helping more drivers experience getting on the road in an electric vehicle.

The five-door supermini will be available through Octopus Electric Vehicles in both of Dacia's Expression and Extreme specifications.

The Extreme model gives motorists an elevated driving experience with a more stylish trim, as well as a 10-inch touchscreen, smartphone mirroring and a reverse camera.

The 26.8kWh battery can be charged from 20 per cent to 100 per cent in just five hours using a standard 7kW home charger.

Luke Broad, Dacia Brand Director for the UK, said: "With such an affordable price and compact size, we knew the Spring would be perfect for many fleet customers.

"We love that leasing via Octopus Electric Vehicles makes switching to an EV so easy and accessible, allowing more UK drivers to get behind the wheel of a highly efficient and usable car at a very attractive cost."

Octopus Electric Vehicles agreed to purchase an initial batch of 50 Dacia Spring models, with the company pledging to monitor demand before expanding its order.

Dacia has already sold more than 23,000 vehicles in the year-to-date, capturing 1.52 per cent of the market share. The Romanian car brand has sold more vehicles than Cupra, Fiat, Mazda and Suzuki.

Under the Octopus scheme, drivers are provided with the car, installed home charger, insurance, maintenance and access to the Octopus Electroverse charging service.

Alvin Castillo, Head of Procurement at Octopus Electric Vehicles commented: "New EV models are hitting UK roads every month, providing drivers with a choice to help find the car that is the right fit for them.

"Being able to get a new electric car for less than £200 a month is a gamechanger – opening up clean, affordable driving for drivers that previously wouldn’t have been able to switch."

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Electric cars are one of the most popular vehicle types for salary sacrifice schemes given the low level of tax they attract, as well as giving motorists the chance to try an EV.

At present, electric vehicles attract a Benefit-in-Kind tax rate of just two per cent, compared to a 37 per cent rate for some of the most polluting petrol and diesel vehicles.