DS comes with a fairly striking concept car: the E-Tense Performance. With this electric supercar, DS gives a hint to what future models will look like, but the study model is also important from a technical point of view.
The E-Tense Performance was developed by DS Performance, the motorsport branch of DS that won both the teams’ and constructors’ titles in two Formula E seasons. The concept car is sleek and has a silhouette that resembles an Alpine A110. At the front, the striking headlights, which consist of a vertical and horizontal part, immediately catch the eye. Because the E-Tense Performance is electric, the ‘grille’ makes way for what DS calls the ‘Aero Sport Lounge’. This means that the DS logo is combined with a three-dimensional effect, with a special welcome sequence when you unlock the car.
DS sprays the E-Tense Performance in a combination of green-yellow, which changes color with the viewing angle and incidence of light, and black. The roof of the E-Tense Performance runs all the way to the rear – a rear window is missing on the concept car – and is equipped with a line pattern. At the rear, a large diffuser with a central rear fog light defines the image. The rear lights are large LED units with a striking diamond pattern. To make sure you’re dealing with an electric supercar, DS put a big ‘E’ on the back of the E-Tense Performance. To keep the supercar as aerodynamic as possible, it rolls on 21-inch wheels that are partially sealed.
DS E-Tense Performance
Unlike many other study models, the E-Tense Performance is not an empty shell. Underneath the smooth body are a carbon monocoque and the powertrain of the Formula E race car. The powertrain consists of two electric motors that together deliver a power of 600 kW (815 hp). That powertrain can also regenerate energy with a capacity of 600 kW. DS reports that the E-Tense Performance is still equipped with a conventional braking system because the law requires it, but that in practice the energy regeneration system provides sufficient braking power to not have to use the brake discs at all.
The battery, which is placed behind the center of the car for optimum weight distribution, is also derived from Formula E. Thanks to a special type of coolant, ‘Quartz EV Fluid’, the battery can be discharged and charged more quickly. The performance figures of the E-Tense Performance are not yet known, but from this month DS will test the concept car for the first time. The brand does this with its drivers Jean-Éric Vergne and Antonio Felix da Costa. DS will also announce the numbers by then.
DS E-Tense Performance
It does not seem as yet that DS will actually take the E-Tense Performance into production. However, the brand wants to use the knowledge it gains with the concept car in future models. “We see it as a laboratory in which we analyze and further develop the behavior of components for production,” said Thomas Chevaucher, director of DS Performance. “The idea behind this is to find new solutions to reduce costs, simplify production and explore application possibilities in production models. The new generation of E-Tense models benefit from these developments,” he continues.
For those who are somewhat disappointed, there is little consolation: DS will release a total of 100 copies in the form of an NFT, a digital ‘non-fungible token’. That way you can still sort of get hold of it.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl