Dacia considers their small electric car, the Hipster, a bold reimagining of the people’s car, and is taking simplicity very seriously once again. Hipster is a very cheap and very small electric car. Just like Dacia’s other products, Dacia has built the Hipster to cost as little as possible, and to weigh as little as possible, and, of course, to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Dacia has designed the Hipster to be lightweight and inexpensive. Hipster is lightweight and inexpensive, and therefore, bad. Hipster’s goal is to showcase real-life urban driving situations as an example of what driving should actually be, and stopping the marketing department from making bad decisions.
Dacia has marketed their quirky little car as the Hipster, and behind the joking name, Dacia wants the Hipster to be a true and available electric vehicle for all of Europe. Dacia considers most of the other electric vehicles to be really large and unreasonably overpriced. Dacia wants the Hipster to be an electric vehicle that people can actually purchase while still being affordable. Dacia has to make a lot of design and construction decisions that will make the car look balanced and purposeful, but still meet the needs of cost, purpose, and efficiency.
Design, Measurement, and Daily Use
From the outside, the Hipster may resemble a compressed version of a city SUV; it has a short, box-like, and vertical design. There is a near vertical windscreen, which means the minimal design has a short overhang, and the wheels are pushed outs at the edges. This design helps the vehicle avoid the fragile and almost “toy car” look that many micro-EV’s have, but gives it the proper road presence of a real micro small car. Having short dimensions means that navigating busy city areas, such as tight streets, U-turns, and small parking areas, will be easier. Also, the vertical sides and the near vertical windscreen will allow more room for the cabin.
The Dacia Hipster is approximately 3 meters in length, but it has been designed to allow four adults to sit comfortably in the vehicle. The design of the Hipster is having the sides and the front of the vehicle be mostly made of glass. Additionally, the car has a glass front roof panel that allows natural light to come in. The front passenger seat can tilt forwards; and the windows can slide sideways. Also, the large door openings allow more light to come in the vehicle, and they will aid in making it easier for adults to get in and out without feeling like they are in a city car that is smaller, and more cramped. The rear seating area will be flexible, and will serve as a boot space that can be used as a small area when all of the seating is in use, and it can be used as a large area that can fit large box items, such as washing machines, when the rear seating is folded out.
Electric Drivetrain, Range and Efficiency
The Hipster, unlike other cars, designed for daily use and short or medium distance trips. The expected range for this vehicle is approximately 100 miles or 160 kilometers. The expected range helps Dacia use a smaller and lighter battery pack, which saves money and weight. It also helps city drivers who are frequent commuters by providing enough battery range for them to charge the vehicle at home.
Dacia has engineered this vehicle to minimize weight. The Hipster is expected to weigh around 800 kg, which is around 20 percent lighter than the Dacia Spring. Dacia has focused on a minimalist design and strives to use a lower battery pack than the competition. This also helps reduce the carbon footprint and saves batteries. Dacia is aiming to reduce the carbon footprint by 50 percent when compared to the competition.
Key Size and Range Snapshot
Parameter Estimate
Length Approximately 3 metres
Seating 4 adults
Boot capacity Flexible 70 to 500 litres
Target range Approximately 100 miles (≈160 km)
Approx. weight Concept figure 800 kg
Interior, Features and Tech Philosophy
Inside the Hipster, we can once again see a strong application of the “less is more” philosophy with Dacia. The dashboard is simple and strong, with some physical buttons, and instead of an expensive built-in infotainment system, the driver is expected to use their smartphone for guidance and to communicate. Dacia’s YouClip system promotes the idea of personalisation and modularity by offering mounting spots in the car, where users can attach their own pockets, or use their own lights or speakers, instead of using expensive optional extras from the factory.
Hipsters weigh and cost down features to give customers variety, safety, and urban practicality by using small, safe features rather than leaving out safety like adding dual front airbags to the dashboard, and getting rid of complicated lane assist features to save money. It also provides practical space and solid build to save on operational cost of the vehicle. Modern urban buyers are looking for features to be stripped away such as driver assist systems and focus on value to urban solid build practical values.
Pricing, Target Buyers and Early Conclusion
First look pricing is already proving to be one of the best things about the Dacia. It is hypothesized to be starting under £12,000 making it one of the most affordable pricing strategies presumably marketed for the UK, making it safer than the Dacia Spring, as well as other basic electric hatchback vehicles. Along with the European crash safety standards, it ensures safety for personal use unlike the Citroën Ami, aimed to be under city driving speeds. It is perfectly designed for first time electric buyers as well as student buyers, and urban use families.
Considering experience and usability, the Hipster is answering the question many drivers are having: “How much car do I actually need for my daily life?” It’s small size, practical interior, and modest performance suggest it will favor dense cities where parking is smaller and speeds are lower . If Dacia can make its talk of sub-£12,000 pricing come true, and keep its reputation for tough, honest engineering, the Hipster may become the most important small EV.
FAQs
Q1: Is the Dacia Hipster a real car or just a concept?
A1: While the Hipster is a concept, they are previewing an upcoming affordable EV.
Q2: How many people can the Dacia Hipster seat?
A2: It is designed to seat four adults, and is designed to be compact while still doing so.
Q3: Will the Dacia Hipster cost less than the Dacia Spring?
A3: Dacia is likely to price the Hipster below the Spring, with the entry figure projected to be under £12,000 in major markets.
