Electric DS E-Tense Performance – an EV with NO brakes

Citroen’s ‘Posh’ arm DS has revealed a prototype of the DS E-Tense Performance Concept which uses motor regen instead of brakes.

It’s six years since the first DS E-Tense Concept arrived, just a year after DS was created as a standalone Citroen brand, and was said to preview a future DS GT EV with a healthy 396bhp powered by a 53kWh battery and good for 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds.

Of course, it didn’t turn into a production model, but in February DS was back with a new take on the DS E Tense with the DS E Tense Performance Concept, still in a strange shade of green but this time around sporting a drivetrain nicked from DS’s Formula E single-seater with a whopping 793bhp and good for 62mph in just 2.0 seconds.

Now DS is back with a new prototype of the E Tense Performance, and this time it has no brakes. Yes, you read that right – no brakes.

Instead of brakes to bring the car to a stop, DS has decided it can be done using just regenerative braking from the electric motors.

Of course, we already see EVs offering a degree of regen braking, and in many EVs you can ‘One Pedal’ drive, using the accelerator as a means to slow down. And, especially in town, it soon becomes intuitive and a lot easier than constantly prodding the brake pedal.

Beatrice Foucher, DS CEO, said:

Formula E is about maximising performance and efficiency, and the DS E TENSE PERFORMANCE is our vision of a road car utilising our race-winning technology. Regenerative braking is a very powerful way to not only slow the vehicle down, but also help improve battery performance. The DS E TENSE PERFORMANCE takes the technology to a new level, with regenerative braking used solely to slow the vehicle down.