After the renewal of its two SUVs in 2022, 2023 will be a year of transition for DS automobiles, which is preparing to go 100% electric next year with two cars that will embody this transition.
Since its creation, the DS brand has always emphasised its electrified offer, which it has grouped under the name E-Tense. Thus, its entire range includes either an electric or a plug-in hybrid version, with outputs ranging from 225 to 360 hp, which can be found on the DS 7, DS 9 and the brand's compact saloon, the DS4. It is the latter that will be the first to embody the 100% electric transition of the DS cars, as it will have a new 100% electric offer in addition to the current thermal and hybrid engines from the first half of 2024.
This future DS 4, for which the Rüsselsheim plant is preparing to welcome it on the lines, should have its own specific offer, without therefore being common to what Stellantis offers for the Citroën C4 or Peugeot 308, for example. It is rumoured that the DS 4 could use the 156 horsepower electric motor, while having a larger battery than the 308, allowing it to significantly exceed the 400 kilometre mark.
A future DS 8 with 700 km of autonomy
If the electric DS 4 will be the first weapon that DS cars will draw in 2024, it is with its second vehicle that the French luxury brand intends to score a point in the fierce competition between premium brands. To achieve this, DS will use the new STLA-Medium platform, which has just been unveiled by the latest generation Peugeot 3008 and is designed for electric vehicles. DS will also use only the 100% electric version of this new Stellantis platform, which will be used by all the group's brands, including Citroën for the future C5 Aircross.
This new platform has been designed for electrification from the outset, i.e. it has been optimised to ensure the lowest possible fuel consumption and an impressive battery pack that will ultimately provide a respectable autonomy that will allow long journeys. In fact, this new STLA Medium platform makes it possible to integrate batteries with a capacity of up to 98 kW, which will enable future vehicles based on it, including the DS D85 project, to offer a range of more than 1 km.
This future DS8, which will continue to be developed in France, will be assembled on the lines of the Stellantis plant in Melfi, Italy, alongside other Group vehicles. It will embody the new philosophy of DS automobiles as a brand that is now 100% electric, since it will not be offered in a rechargeable thermal hybrid version, but only in electric versions. In order to stand out in a very competitive market, DS will be able to count on the new electric motors developed by Stellantis, which should allow it to deliver a very respectable performance of at least 230 hp. The future DS 8 will also be able to count on batteries produced by ACC in Douvrin and will therefore be equipped with batteries produced in France, a major first for Stellantis.
DS is therefore just a few months away from becoming a 100% electric brand, which will mean major changes for its future vehicles; current cars will continue to benefit from thermal and hybrid engines until the end of their careers. With the future electric DS 4 and DS 8, 2024 promises to be a busy year for DS automobiles, which will begin the third part of its development with cars that are now only 100% electric and an affirmation of its identity with a style and atmosphere that the brand promises is unique.