The new DS 8 electric fastback will be capable of driving 466 miles between charges, the brand has confirmed ahead of its imminent reveal.
DS credited the figure, verified by official WLTP testing, to aerodynamic developments such as active air intakes in the car’s front bumper.
The firm added that it moved the car’s windscreen and bonnet backwards, although it has yet to clarify what it has compared those dimensions with. Autocar has previously reported that the 8 will be a close relative of the Peugeot e-3008 and Vauxhall Grandland, and DS's comments suggest it will be a sleeker proposition than those SUVs.
New images of the car released by DS also showcase the dramatic rake in its rear window, which undoubtedly plays a key role in it achieving a drag coefficient of 0.24. That’s better than the rival Polestar 4 (0.26 Cd) but just behind the Tesla Model Y (0.23 Cd).
The developments make the DS 8 one of the UK's longest-range electric cars, just behind the Mercedes-Benz EQS, which can drive 481 miles between charges.
DS said the new car will be unveiled in full before the end of the year.
The segment-straddling luxury flagship will be charged with reinvigorating the French premium brand and kick-starting its electric era.
It will spearhead a totally overhauled line-up for DS, which is working to electrify each of its cars and increase its share of the market, a decade on from its foundation as a stand-alone brand.
The new range-topper has been conceived as a replacement for today’s DS 9 saloon and will arrive at a crucial moment for the marque, which is still struggling to get a foothold in the European market.
To the end of August, sales were down 33% year on year across the region, to 26,173 cars, and fewer than 800 of those were sold in the UK.
The flagship DS 9 – based on the Peugeot 508, which is due to be pulled from sale – sold just 234 units in Europe until August this year, and only three in the UK.
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Converting a car to RHD and all the other associated costs must have run into millions, so when all you have to show for it is just 3, yes 3, DS9 sales in one year Senior managerment heads should have rolled. To some degree they did but Stellantis still think it's ok to continue with so many failing brands.
Or maybe they just don't bother with French hating brand snobs Brits.
That's along the thinking of Stellantis managerment, fingers in ears and think of sound bites why their cars don't sell outside France.
I know Tavares has said that he will keep brands as long as they remain profitable but surely mahy are canabalising sales of their other brands and creating a monolithic management structures. The multitude of models may share platforms but each must still cost € millions to develop. If Stellantis want their brands to be associated with a national identity wouid there be anything wrong with following the Opel/Vauxhall example by perhaps pairing Fiat with Citroen and Lancia with DS? Have Stellantis huge problems in the US been caused by too much product investment going into Europe and taking the Jeep/Ram truck brand and profit generator for granted? It does appear the chickens are coming home to roost by Stellantis neglecting their cash cows.
Fascinating. Any chance they could make that SM reboot with the steering and suspension the Activa 2 prototype had?