Needs six and a half seconds to 62 mph (100 kph) and can do 31 miles on electric power.
DS Automobiles has unveiled a new plug-in hybrid version of its flagship SUV – the DS 7 Crossback.
Dubbed the E-Tense – a moniker set to adorn all DS’s electric and hybrid models – the premium crossover gets 296 horsepower, four-wheel-drive and a 31-mile all-electric range according to the new, more stringent WLTP emissions test.
Under the skin, the E-Tense will combine a 197-hp 1.6-liter gasoline engine with two 107-hp electric motors and an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Together, these offer 332 pound-feet (450 Newton-meters) of torque and 296 hp – enough for a hot hatch-rivaling 6.5-second sprint from 0 to 62 mph (100 kph).
More importantly, though, the dual-fuel powertrain will emit less than 50g of carbon dioxide per kilometer. On electricity alone, it will achieve speeds of up to 83 mph (136 mph if the gasoline engine kicks in) and travel for a WLTP-rated 31 miles (50 kilometers) before the battery runs flat. When that happens, the gasoline engine will start, allowing the car to continue its journey.
See other electrified models from PSA
However, because of DS’s experience in Formula E, the DS 7 Crossback E-Tense gets race-derived brake energy regeneration, which effectively charges the battery whenever the car slows.
If, on the other hand, you can make it to a domestic 13-amp plug, you can charge the battery in eight hours, or in as little as two hours if you have a 32-amp wall-mounted terminal with a 6.6-kWh charger.
And DS has promised that unlike some other hybrids, which have reduced trunk space thanks to the bulky battery packs, the E-Tense will store its batteries under the floor to offer the same luggage bay volume as the standard, front-wheel-drive, internal combustion-powered DS 7 Crossback.
As well as clever technology, though, the DS 7 E-Tense is also offering some new styling enhancements, including 19-inch alloy wheels and a new Crystal Grey body color. The car will also be marked out by the E embossed on the gearbox control, which is a nod to the DS E-Tense electric concept car first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 2016.
French-owned brands making hybrid headway
The hybrid has been promised for a long time, but it comes just days after DS’s owner, Groupe PSA, announced that it would introduce plug-in hybrid and electric versions of all its new cars from next year.
DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4: HIGH-PERFORMANCE HYBRID BY DS
By offering a high-performance hybrid in the Premium C SUV segment with the DS 7 CROSSBACK, DS Automobiles confirms to be at the cutting edge of technology.
The high standard of French expertise has produced a highly-versatile and capable vehicle DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4 with 300 hp and a torque of 450 Nm, four-wheel drive, a 50 kilometre all-electric range (WLTP standard), and energy recovery during braking or deceleration.
Starting with the DS 7 CROSSBACK, all of new DS Automobiles' models will be electrified versions.
From boldness comes excellence. DS Automobiles has become the first carmaker to offer a high-performance petrol-electric hybrid technology in the Premium C SUV segment.
The expanding DS 7 CROSSBACK range, which has been on sale since beginning 2018, is venturing into new territory with the innovative DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4 model. For the first time, a Premium C SUV has been able to offer customers a versatile product with many drive modes driven by three motors (one ICE Internal Combustion Engine and two electric motors), to best combine the energy provided by petrol and electricity, rechargeable from a mains power supply or through deceleration regeneration.
POWERFUL and SMART
The powertrain combines a 200 hp (147 kW) petrol engine and is accompanied by two 109 hp (80 kW) electric engines and the new eight-speed automatic gearbox. These offer a combined maximum deployment power of 300 hp with torque of 450 Nm, and drive to all four wheels.
DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4 can cover a distance of 50 kilometres/31 miles in ZEV (all-electric mode) driving mode (WLTP cycle, corresponding to 60 kilometres/37 miles in NEDC) due to its 13,2 kWh battery capacity. This range is suitable for daily journey distance from home to work, on the city or on highway, up to a speed of 135kph. When the battery level is low or for optimum traction, the petrol engine supplements the power required.
Several modes are available:
- Zero emission is the default mode. The vehicle is always started using the electric motors, for driving confort, silent running and zero emissions.
- Sport mode, which optimises power and driving pleasure.
- Hybrid mode, which manage automatically performance and fuel consumption. Emissions are minimised and declared to be under 50 grams per kilometre.
- 4WD, four-wheel drive, for optimum traction in all road conditions.
Using the expertise acquired through Formula E, DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4 is regenerated whenever the driver decelerates or uses the brakes ("BRAKE" function) to extend the range. Another function, "E-SAVE", also allows the driver to save enough energy to drive in all-electric mode for the last 10 or 20 kilometres / 6 or 12 miles of a journey.
The map on the high-definition touchscreen shows to the driver in real time the distance, which can be driven in Zero emission mode or where the charging stations available nearby.
DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4's battery can be charged in 2h using a wall-mounted terminal (32 A) and with a 6.6 kW charger or in 8 hours with a traditional socket.
spaciousness and refinement
DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4 offer the same spaciousness and a maximum boot space as the conventional ICE model, due to the batteries fitted underneath the floor.
The charismatic design is enhance by the 19’’ wheels and with the new body colour: Crystal Grey.
Attention to detail can be seen throughout with the "E" embossed on the gearbox control is a nod to the DS E-TENSE electric Concept car.
And DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE 4x4 inaugurates the Inspiration DS RIVOLI, pearl grey.