Dacia relies on combustion engines until the end

Renault's Romanian subsidiary Dacia, considered the French carmaker's low-cost brand, plans to stick with internal combustion engines for as long as possible.

Its chief executive Denis Le Vot made the statement to Reuters at a time when the rest of the group is focusing heavily on switching to electric motors.

Renault plans to go fully e-drive by 2030. Dacia, for its part, reserves the right to make the final switch only in 2035, when fossil fuel engines will be banned in Europe. This strategy was chosen to secure the group's advance in electric vehicles, he said. "Everyone has their role to play. Renault will push to be the champion in electric engines, there is a risk in that," Le Vot said on the sidelines of a presentation at Le Bourget near Paris. "It's also the reason why Dacia exists."

"Depending on how quickly the market shifts to electric motors and customers' appetite, Dacia will be there. The two can co-exist in an intimate way," he contiintimatelyrtainly seems to be having success with its first own electric car, the Dacia Spring. This is because it accounts for 12 per cent of new orders.

While Dacia continues to focus on small fossil fuel and LPG-powered engines, which account for a third of the brand's sales, the brand plans to offer its first hybrid model in 2023. Most recently, the Renault brand presented its plans in Paris, which were described with the keywords "essential, robust and eco-smart".

The basis for Dacia's future plans is the Renaulutitegic plan presented at the beginning of 2021, which sets the course for each group brand. The goal for Dacia is to further develop its image as an essential, focused brand with an authentic model offering the best value for money. In order to appeal to an evenToehensive range of customers, Dacia has developed a new brand identity, logo, design and colours in recent months. Only the switch to e-mobility is lagging behind a little.