Automotive News Europe - February 2020 - 19

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE

SUPPLIERS

The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 9 seconds and has a top speed of 150 kph.

DS counts on first EV
to spark excitement
T

he DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is the
brand's first full-electric vehicle, and its
launch is part of PSA Group's electrification push that also includes the Peugeot
e-2008 small SUV and e-208 and Opel/
Vauxhall Corsa-e battery-powered hatchbacks. All four vehicles are on PSA's multienergy CMP architecture. The small SUV is
positioned in the premium segment, where
it currently has no direct rivals, DS executives say. DS is marketing the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense as a premium vehicle, with
electrification as a selling point, said Yves
Bonnefont, ex-CEO of DS, who now has
a new strategic position at PSA. "For DS,
electric is a high-end powertrain," he said.
"You don't buy an electric car because you
don't have a choice. You buy it because you
are excited by the fact that it's electric."
Bonnefont described the E-Tense as a
"future-proof" car, because many DS
buyers live in urban areas that are increasingly being subject to restrictions
on internal combustion engines, especially diesels. DS says that the total cost
of ownership for the E-Tense version in
France, where there is a 6,000 euro purchase bonus, is lower than for a gasoline
version with an automatic transmission.
According to the brand's calculations,
monthly costs for the E-Tense are 469 euros, with financing at 425 euros a month,
while the gasoline version would cost 512
euros monthly, assuming financing at 395
euros a month. The E-Tense differs from

FEBRUARY 2020

combustion versions of the DS 3 Crossback only in its drivetrain. PSA says that
one of the benefits of the CMP architecture
is that there is no loss of interior space
or trunk volume with the electric version,
as the batteries are positioned under the
seats. DS will support E-Tense customers
with a suite of services intended to ease
worries about range and charging station

availability. A smartphone app, MyDS, allows owners to check information remotely, including charge level, range and time
left to charge. Charging at home can be
programmed to start when rates are lower,
such as at night. And the vehicle's cockpit
can be pre-set to be cooled or heated.
-- Peter Sigal

Fast Facts
❚ Motor: PSA is using electric motors

from Continental until it starts producing
its own in 2022. The 100 kW motor in the
DS3 has an output equivalent to 136 hp,
and 260 newton meters of torque.
❚ Battery: The car's 50 kilowatt-hour
lithium ion battery uses cells from the
Chinese manufacturer CATL. It takes
seven and a half hours to fully charge
the battery with a 7.4 kilowatt singlephase plug; five hours to fully charge it
with an 11 kW triple-phase wallbox; and
30 minutes to reach 80 percent with a
100 kW fast charger.
❚ Weight: At 1525kg, the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is 320 kg heavier than variants with internal combustion engines.
The car's battery pack weights 350 kg.
❚ Local usage: Premium small SUV
customers drive an average of 40 km a
day, DS says.

The Basics
❚ Launch date: January (France)
❚ Starting price: 39,100 euros

(France))

❚ Range: 320 km (WLTP)
❚ Where built: Poissy, France

www.autonewseurope.com

http://www.autonewseurope.com

Automotive News Europe - February 2020

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