French auto company DS unveils the new DS3 Crossback E-Tense – an electric car designed with the future in mindFrom the outset, the DS brand staked a claim to French luxury, a global retail phenomenon that is nevertheless underrepresented in the auto industry. By pitching its range of mid- and full-size SUVs and crossovers at a more discerning, idiosyncratic buyer, DS is a car company that wants to stand for something in a world of homogeneity.
This is admirable, as is the company’s commitment to building only full electric or plug-in hybrid models by 2025. The new DS3 CROSSBACK E-TENSE is a flagship for this strategy. Although essentially identical to its ICE-powered sibling, the E-TENSE is pure electric drive, with a 200-mile range and all the accoutrements and visual quirks that have come to define the brand.
Even though this is the first ‘premium compact EV’ , the DS3’s performance or dynamics aren’t especially notable, although this is aaimed at city and suburban living, not the open road. It is easy to drive and easy to live with, a functional car with a dash of something different. For a more upscale GT experience, the DS3 is joined by the new plug-in version of the DS7 CROSSBACK.