DS 9 E-Tense 250
Multi-time Stromer
DS 9 E-Tense 250
© press-inform – the press office
The Stellantis Group completes the electrified range with its premium sedan DS 9. With a capacity of 15.6 kilowatt hours, the French BMW 5 Series competitor can travel up to 67 kilometers purely electrically. The additional strength treatment helps with sovereignty.
It used to be said that displacement cannot be replaced by anything but more displacement. In the age of electric mobility, the motto is: There is no substitute for battery capacity other than more kilowatt hours. The Stellantis Group follows exactly the E-Zeitgeist with the premium sedan DS 9: Compared to the DS 9 E-Tense 225, in which the energy storage has a capacity of 11.8 kilowatt hours, the batteries in the DS 9 E-Tense 250 can now 15.6kWh. That brings twelve kilometers more range on the sheet with 67 kilometers (according to the WLTP cycle). Our on-board computer showed 52 kilometers. If you don’t get behind the wheel with the determination to show all other road users who’s boss, you’ll find a vehicle in the French limousine that decelerates without being slow. The interaction between the 81 kW / 110 hp electric motor and the 14 kW / 19 hp more powerful four-cylinder with 147 kW / 200 hp now results in a total output of 183 kW / 250 hp and works splendidly – especially if you don’t constantly caresses the floor pan with the gas pedal. Because then the combustion engine will let you know that you can also reach your destination quickly if you are less ambitious.
If you swim fast with the traffic without wanting to beat the best times, the electric-combustion duo can easily cope with the 1,914-kilogram French cruiser. Although the French engineers had to move the combustion engine in the plug-in hybrid versions of the DS 9 by ten millimeters to accommodate the transmission and integrated electric motor. With a sprint time from zero to 100 in 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 240 km/h, you are not one of the laggards. We needed 17 kWh/100 km and 3.2 l/100 km for our test drive, which took us on both motorways and country roads. DS states 17.4 kWh/100 km and 1.2 l/100 km. Especially since the interaction of the new and old drive world runs more harmoniously than with the top model DS 9 E-Tense 360 4×4. But that may be due to lowered expectations. With the standard 7.4 kW on-board charger, the larger battery in the home wall box is completely full in two hours and 15 minutes.
The anticipatory chassis also fares better than its muscular brother, but this is mainly due to the 19-inch tires instead of the 20-inch ones. The DS 9 E-Tense 250 still doesn’t develop an intimate love affair with Querfugen, but basically rolls more smoothly than its big brother. The Aysin eight-speed automatic does its job as calmly as the ZF counterpart. In addition, there is an extremely quiet interior, especially if you drive purely electrically up to a maximum of 135 km/h. The noise comfort is not only a result of the silent combustion engine, but also the almost four millimeter thick glazing, which blocks annoying outside noise. The thickly padded seats support the lounge feeling, as long as you don’t have to go around the corners quickly, because then a little more lateral support would be desirable. Anyone who puts 2,100 euros on the table of the house gets massage seats in the front and rear and a wide range of air conditioning options.
If you opt for the top Rivol+ equipment for 56,560 euros, you get a fairly well equipped car, with a whole armada of safety systems supporting the driver. The robotic parking assistant costs 450 euros extra for the top equipment. For an additional 1,150 euros, the Focal sound system delivers a fine sound that contributes to driving pleasure. The interior is also impressive, regardless of whether you are an Alcantara fan or prefer classic leather from Bavarian cattle. In addition, the French have pretty much exhausted the space possibilities of the EMP2 platform. The wheelbase of 2.89 meters also gives the rear passengers almost princely space, especially when it comes to legroom (check our own test).
The infotainment reveals the efforts of the French technicians to do everything a bit differently than the Teutonic competition from Munich or Ingolstadt, resulting in a playful impression of the infotainment and the insight that there are other ways to Paris with the menus. But after a short period of getting used to, you can get along well with the Gallic entertainment program. Especially since the twelve-inch touchscreen and the identically sized instrument display don’t need to hide in terms of size and the infotainment also offers a lot in terms of connectivity. If you want, you can integrate your smartphone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and create a familiar environment. The DS 9 E-Tense 250 will be available from dealers from April.