Dacia Eyes Renault's Indian Bridger as a Small EV
Dacia is considering an electric version of the Renault Bridger for Europe to cut its CO2 emissions, according to company insiders cited by Autocar.
Dacia may get its cheap electric car from an unexpected place. The Renault Bridger was built for India, and the brand is now weighing a European version.
The Bridger in Europe, in the boss's words
At last month's Paris motor show, Renault Group CEO François Provost described the Bridger as "created for India but it could one day come to our markets too".
Dacia is only considering the idea. Company insiders say Dacia could adapt the small SUV for Europe, and Autocar frames it as part of the brand's push to cut CO2 emissions.
A gap in the four-EV promise
Dacia plans to launch four EVs by 2030 and has not named them. Autocar can reveal the Spring, Sandero, Sandero Stepway and a fourth car.
The fourth slot was meant for an electric version of the new Striker crossover. Sources say those plans have been cancelled, and a European-built Bridger is a contender to fill the gap.
Why this car fits
Dacia is the Romanian, value-focused brand in the Renault Group. It has to electrify quickly and affordably. Heavy incentives also reward building its cars locally. A European-built Bridger would face the Citroën ë-C3 and the Fiat Grande Panda Electric.
Cutting CO2 is a top priority for Dacia, which is behind other Renault Group brands on emissions. Its small range of electric cars is the reason.
The brand is also adjusting its plans to the EU's proposed Industrial Accelerator Act. It could bring super-credits for EVs built in Europe. A super-credit lets a carmaker count one car as more than one when its fleet emissions are tallied. The credits would be more generous for models shorter than 4.2m.
Where the Bridger comes from
The Bridger showed up earlier this year as a near-ready concept. It is a small SUV with a chunky look, modelled on the Suzuki Jimny. In India it sits below the slightly larger Renault Duster, and it launches there next year.
That fits the Renault Group's plan to expand globally with market-specific models. The Renault Filante, Boreal and Niagara belong to the same plan. Like them, the Bridger was not planned for the group's home market of Europe.
Separately, Dacia is due to bring a production Hipster microcar to Europe within a few years. It will sit outside the main range as a quadricycle the size of a Citroën Ami.
Source: Autocar