Closer To Dacia Hipster, New Urban Electric Car For IDR 200 Million

JAKARTA - A car manufacturer from Romania, Dacia, introduced the concept of its newest electric car named Hipster. This model appears with a different approach from most modern electric cars.

Reporting from ArenaEV, Tuesday, October 7, this car carries the philosophy of 'less is more'. Where, Hipster is designed as a tiny and efficient vehicle that can be a solution to urban mobility at very affordable prices.

Dacia Hipster comes with a unique appearance and a 'boxy' style that reminds classic utility cars. The body length is only about 3 meters, but it can still accommodate four passengers and provide a fairly wide baggage room.

The exterior design stands out through the use of recycled plastic panels, reduced amounts of paint to reduce production costs, as well as some simple elements such as rope as a door handle. The weight of this car is claimed to be less than 800 kilograms, or 20 percent lighter than Dacia's current cheapest electric model, Spring.

This strategy is part of Dacia's Eco-Smart philosophy that focuses on efficiency and sustainability. According to the company, this car generates half the carbon emissions from conventional electric cars in its life cycle.

Entering the cabin, Dacia maintains simplicity. Jok is made thin with an open framework, the window glass still uses a sliding model, and there is no large screen in the middle of the dashboard.

Instead, users can place personal phones to function as infotainment systems, navigation, and digital keys. There is also a YouClip modular system, which allows various accessories such as lights, hangers, or cup holders to be installed as needed.

Although he has not disclosed official specifications, Dacia said Hipster is designed for daily use in the city. The average driver only travels about 40 km per day, so charging is enough to be done twice a week.

The production version is expected to be sold at a price below 17,600 US dollars, or around Rp. 292 million. Dacia's head of design, David Durand, explains that Hipster was inspired by successful simple cars in the past, such as Mini and Citro total 2CV.

"The affordable car doesn't mean boring," he said. However, Dacia also admits that the big challenges come from safety regulations and emission standards in Europe which are getting tighter, making car prices even more difficult to reduce.

Therefore, Dacia hopes that European policymakers can pave the way for a lighter new car category, similar to the kei car concept in Japan. This is so that cheap electric cars such as Hipster can be produced and marketed at realistic prices and become a new pioneer in the affordable electric vehicle segment.