Remember the DS E-Tense electric concept from six years ago? Well, that has just been heavily updated to the prototype you see today. Production of the new E-Tense Performance isn’t yet confirmed, because the sporty EV is meant to give us a glimpse into DS Automobile’s future electric line-up, both in terms of design and performance capabilities.
Compared with the 2016 concept, the updated car packs significantly more power, up from 402 PS to a staggering 816 PS (600 kW). This is courtesy of a twin electric motor setup, one powering each drive axle.
The front motor generates 340 PS (250 kW) while the rear produces 476 PS (350 kW), which corresponds to 816 PS and 8,000 Nm of torque at the wheels. Yes, that’s not a typo. This setup is plucked directly from DS Performance’s developments in Formula E, and it also boasts a regeneration capacity of 600 kW, which it claims to be unprecedented.
Full performance figures will be revealed following a series of tests with DS Formula E champions Jean-Éric Vergne and António Félix da Costa. However, the automaker has hinted that the car is capable of a century sprint time of two seconds, down from 4.5 seconds compared to the 2016 concept.
A key technical component of the car is the battery. Jointly developed with TotalEnergies and its subsidiary Saft, the battery is housed in a carbon-aluminium composite enclosure that’s arranged in a central rear position for optimum weight distribution. A liquid cooling system (with Quartz EV Fluid solution) is necessary to maintain battery temperatures, because remember, it’s designed to permit acceleration and regeneration phases of up to 600 kW.
Design-wise, the car’s overall silhouette is maintained, but everything else has been reworked. The front fascia now features an angular “surface for expression” instead of its trademark hexagonal grille, which is also capable of generating a special welcome sequence.
The slim headlights comprise of 800 individual LED modules, and the car rides on 21-inch aero wheels. The beetle-effect paintwork changes colour depending on the time of day and angle at which it is viewed from, whereas the rear sports infinity-style LED tail lights and a massive carbon-fibre diffuser.
There’s no interior photos, but DS said it gets bucket seats and a Formula E steering wheel to match its sporty aspirations. The use of black leather trimmings help soften the edges and elevate the premium feel, while other luxuries come in the form of Focal Utopia sound system with a pair of exclusive Scala Utopia Evo speakers. What do you think of this concept?
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8000nm…when the driver puts pedal to metal, the tire wont spin and scramble for traction…instead the earth rotates faster.
You have to do it at the equator facing west.