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The French car manufacturer DS presents a 100% electric concept which notably inherits technologies seen in Formula E. The E-Tense Performance, that is its name, develops up to 815 hp thanks to its two electric motors.
Drawing on its experience in Formula E, the DS Performance entity of the French premium manufacturer has developed the DS E-Tense Performance rolling prototype, a 100% electric concept. This is a coupe that surprises first and foremost with its design.
The concept adopts original lines with a front face that will inspire the brand’s next productions. Its grille, precisely, is defined as an “expression surface” capable of displaying animations around the logo. Two cameras are integrated in the headlamps.
The roof drop adopts a surprising line, accentuated by the two-tone livery chosen by DS. The E-Tense Performance concept features beetle-effect paint, the rendering of which changes according to the light conditions and the viewing angle, as well as contrasting parts in gloss black.
DS has not released images of the interior, which features Formula E bucket seats and steering wheel and includes a Focal Utopia Hi-Fi system.
An impressive technical sheet
But it is above all the technical sheet that impresses. Thus, it takes up elements from the development in Formula E, such as its carbon shell and its running gear extrapolated from the competition of electric single-seaters, said DS.
Two electric motors drive the concept, one at the front of 250 kW and the other at the rear of 350 kW. The DS E-Tense Performance therefore benefits from four-wheel drive and a maximum power of 600 kW (815 hp). Only the torque at the wheels is specified, with a maximum value of 8000 Nm.
Regenerative braking can achieve up to 600 kW of remagnified power. For comparison, the Porsche Taycan is the production car with the highest energy recovery power, reaching up to 265 kW. The E-Tense Performance can therefore do without its disc brakes for the majority of braking.
This impressive power is made possible by a battery developed jointly with Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies and partner of the manufacturer. “It hides innovative chemistry and an immersive cell cooling system that breaks with current technologies”, explains DS. It is integrated into a carbon-aluminum composite casing located in the central rear position. DS has therefore not opted for integrating the battery into the floor of the car, certainly not to enhance the cabin.
DS Automobiles does not intend to market its E-Tense Performance, except in the form of two series of NFTs, including one called “100′ Series – 0-100kph in 2s”, giving an indication of the performance of the prototype.
As a reminder, from 2024, all new DS models will be 100% electric. For the time being, its only production electric vehicle is the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense city SUV, which did not really convince us.