Dacia’s radical Hipster EV Concept rewrites the rulebook for affordable electric cars

The cost of new cars is soaring across Europe, pushing many drivers out of the market. This financial pressure is even changing how people look at the transition to electric cars. Romanian automaker Dacia decided that enough is enough, and is directly confronting this problem with a radical new prototype.

The Dacia Hipster Concept is an all-electric vehicle designed around one simple idea: less weight means less cost and a more efficient car. This tiny but cleverly packaged car creates a new category of electric cars that truly serve the needs of urban drivers without breaking the bank. You could say that the Hipster is Dacia's take on the "Kei" car, a category that Japan is famous for.

The main focus of the Hipster's design is on keeping the weight low. It weighs in at less than 1,764 lb, making it over 20% lighter than Dacia's most affordable Spring EV. This huge weight reduction is central to Dacia's "Eco-Smart" philosophy, which plans to halve the total lifetime carbon footprint compared to the cleanest EVs available today.

For the driver, this means a smaller, lighter battery can still offer plenty of range for daily needs. Dacia calculates that since most drivers cover less than 40 kilometers per day, the Hipster will only need to be charged about twice a week. The company estimates the starting price for a production version would be below $17,600, undercutting even the popular Dacia Spring and other major electric cars.

Despite its compact size, the concept vehicle is surprisingly spacious. It is only 10 ft long, 5.09 ft wide, and 5.02 ft high. By pushing the wheels right to the corners and adopting a boxy shape, the designers created enough space for four full-sized adults. The front seats even form a bench, a friendly nod to iconic people's cars of the past.

When all four seats are in use, the trunk still holds a small but practical 2.47 ft³ of cargo. For larger loads, the rear bench folds flat, opening up a very useful 17.7 ft³ of space - enough volume, Dacia cheekily points out, to fit a washing machine.

Dacia achieved dramatic cost and weight savings by simplifying every part of the car. The Hipster uses manual windows instead of bulky electric motors and fabric straps instead of traditional door handles, inside and out. The thin, mesh-covered seats have visible frames to save weight.

The car even skips a built-in entertainment screen. Instead, the driver uses a smartphone docking station, sticking to Dacia's "bring your own device" approach. The phone handles navigation and music (connected to a portable Bluetooth speaker), and also acts as the digital key for unlocking and starting the car.

But this concept car is more than just a clever design. Dacia decided to make a strong statement about industry regulations with the Hipster. Over the last decade, European regulations have driven up the average cost of new cars by an estimated 63%, with average vehicle weight increasing by 15%. This trend has made it nearly impossible for manufacturers to build a small, profitable, truly affordable car.

The automaker claims that the Hipster is ready to go into mass production, but its success depends on whether European lawmakers create a new, lighter class for small vehicles, similar to Japan's popular "Kei Car" category. Renault and other major automakers are pushing for this new "E-car" category, arguing that urban-focused cars do not need the same heavy, complex safety features as large highway cruisers.

David Durand, Dacia's chief designer, drew inspiration from cherished, utilitarian vehicles like the classic Mini and the Citroën 2CV. He believes affordability does not mean boring. The funky Hipster proves that a back-to-basics electric car can be both desirable and practical, and offers a fresh look into a future of mobility where essential transportation is once again within financial reach for a mass audience.

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