DS Automobiles will debut an electric-powered concept car at the Geneva Motor Show on 1st March.
The DS E-Tense is revealed just as the upmarket sub-brand puts its latest DS 3 on sale, completing the revamp of its three-strong range to give them a completely separate identity to parent company Citroën.
On display at Geneva a year after the show hosted the official launch of DS Automobiles, the DS E-Tense is described as an electric supercar with more than 395bhp and 381lbft of torque from its zero-emissions powertrain.
The car is also said to have a range of around 190 miles, the lithium-ion battery pack located under the chassis to keep the centre of gravity low and aid even torque distribution to the all-wheel-drive transmission.
DS is working hard to build its own image under its ‘Spirit of avant-garde design’ mantra, and the concept mixes distinctive styling, latest technology and collaboration with leading fashionable names.
The two-seater DS E-Tense measures 4.72 metres long and 1.29m high, and is built around a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis. Its styling is evolved from the Divine DS unveiled at the 2015 Geneva show. – it has a coupe silhouette with a central ‘spine’ plated in chrome, and is finished in a metallic green colour. And like the Divine DS there is no rear screen, the driver provided with their view out of the back digitally.
DS signatures include the ‘DS wings’ front-end detailing and roof-mounted rear indicators that nod back to the original Citroën DS of 1955. The LED daytime running lights are active, able to rotate through 180 degrees.
The brand says that more than 800 hours were spent designing and upholstering the interior, which includes an updated version of DS’s signature ‘watch strap’ design on the seats and dash. Said dash is formed from cold steel while the steering wheel boasts a novel tulip shape.
Luxury brands contributing to the car include French fine leather good maker Moynat, that has supplied a helmet harness that can double as a bag when out of the car, BRM Chronographers, providing a driver’s watch that also fixes to the car’s centre console, and Focal, which has created the nine-speaker audio system.
DS sees the all-electric DS E-Tense as fitting in with the brand’s increasing presence in the electric power arena – the DS Virgin Racing team competes in the FIA Formula E Championship, a world series for all-electric single seater cars, and on 6th February DS driver Guy Bird took victory for the team in Buenos Aires.
