Stellati Group's French luxury brand DS presents the E-Tense Performance Concept, an all-electric supercar that incorporates Formula E technology. The study is an evolution of the DS E-Tense concept car before 2016, with a more powerful powertrain and a completely new exterior design.
After winning the team and drivers' championships in the final two seasons of Formula E, DS Performance mounted the electric powertrain of its single-seater car on the carbon fiber hard-shell body of the prototype.
The combined power of the dual motors is 805 hp (600 kW / 815 PS), 335 hp (250 kW / 340 PS) at the front axle and 469 hp (350 kW / 476 PS) at the rear axle. Even more impressive is the system's maximum torque figure, which reaches 8,000 Nm (5,900 lb-ft) at the wheels, rather than the outlet of the motor. This means that the E-Tense Performance is twice as powerful as a single-motor rear-wheel drive E-Tense, with 16 times the peak torque.
According to the company, the competition-inspired battery features a carbon-aluminum composite casing that is mounted in the middle rear position for optimal weight distribution, with "innovative chemistry and immersive battery cooling system." At the same time, it allows for a regenerative capacity of 600 kW, making the traditional braking system with discs and brake pads obsolete – although for safety reasons it still exists. According to the French brand, the suspension geometry is designed to provide optimal grip on rough roads and in all weather conditions.
While implying an extremely fast acceleration time of 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) of 2 seconds, DS will officially release performance data for the concept car after development is complete. Starting this month, pro drivers and Formula E champions Jean-Éric Vergne and Antonio Felix da Costa will sit behind the wheel of the DS E-Tense Performance to test its true potential.
DS E-Tense Performance retains the outline of its predecessor, but it has a new look. Simpler, more angular LED graphics combined with headlamps-mounted cameras and digital grilles are likely to be adopted in future production models, while the new hood has different vents and two-tone treatments (beetle-effect exterior color and glossy black style) throughout the body.
Aside from the graphics and the more aerodynamic 21-inch wheels, the silhouettes look very similar. The rear is also essentially identical to futuristic LED lights, large diffusers, and formula-inspired brake lights, while benefiting from black-themed graphics and the E-logo on the unshielded rear deck. DS didn't give us photos of the interior, but said it had barrel seats, Formula E steering wheel, data collection equipment, Focal Utopia sound system, and black leather trim inserts.
Thomas Chevaucher, Performance Director at DS, said: "Our goal is to apply the experience gained in Formula E and the expertise we gained from international champions to projects that predict future high-performance electric vehicles. This is a lab that we will use to analyze the behavior of components and develop them for future manufacturing. The idea is also to find solutions to reduce costs, make them easier to manufacture, and explore implementation in production models. The next-generation E-TENSE series will benefit from these developments. ”
DS E-Tense Performance is likely to be a one-off design study, which the company describes as "designed to test different innovations to incorporate prototypes into the brand's next design." While it may seem unlikely that a production version will be launched in the near future, most of us would like to see an electric sports car from the DS that helps French brands enter the high-end market and create a loyal following. Currently, you can only buy prototypes in NFT form and offer two different series. Currently, DS offers its entire range of electrification options (EV/PHEV), including E-Tense models for the DS 3 Crossback, DS 4, DS 7 Crossback and DS 9. All new DS models launched after 2024 will be all-electric.
DS E-Tense Electric Performance Concept, a supercar with Formula E technology first appeared on autoNode.