FAQ's
All your questions about electric and hybrid vehicles
What is an electric vehicle ?
An electric car is a vehicle whose engine runs on a battery powered by electricity. Do you want to go electric? Discover the DS electric vehicle range now.
How does an electric vehicle work ?
The motor of an electric vehicle is powered by the energy stored in the battery, which it then converts into mechanical energy to enable the vehicle to move. To find out more about our 100% electric vehicles, discover DS 3 E-TENSE SUV.
What is a plug-in hybrid vehicle ?
A Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is a vehicle with a combustion engine (petrol or diesel) and an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery. Want to switch to a plug-in hybrid? Discover the DS range of plug-in hybrids now.
How does a plug-in hybrid vehicle work ?
A plug-in hybrid vehicle uses the electric motor to start up and for low speeds (under 50 km/h); when accelerating, the combustion engine comes into play to achieve the desired speed. To find out more about our plug-in hybrids, discover DS 4 E-TENSE, New DS 7 and DS 9 E-TENSE.
What is a non plug-in hybrid vehicle ?
A non-rechargeable hybrid car is a car that combines an electric motor and a combustion engine but cannot be recharged via a connection to a charging station. Want to know more about charging hybrids? Find out all the information you need to charge your DS vehicle.
Hybrid vehicle or plug-in hybrid vehicle ?
A plug-in hybrid is a car that can be recharged by plugging it into a household socket or a public charging point, whereas a non-plug-in hybrid is recharged only during regenerative braking.
Electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid vehicle ?
An electric vehicle has only a motor powered by electrical energy, while a plug-in hybrid vehicle combines both an electric motor and a combustion engine. Not sure whether to go for a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle? Compare the advantages of plug-in hybrids and 100% electric vehicles now!
What does PHEV mean ?
PHEV stands for “Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle” and is the acronym used to designate all plug-in hybrid vehicles. Switch to plug-in hybrid with the DS range of hybrid cars.
How long does a battery last ?
The average battery life of an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle is 8 years, or about 160,000 km. In case of failure, the manufacturer carries out a battery renovation process under warranty to ensure maximum life. Find out more about battery recycling and warranty for DS vehicles.
What are the different charging options ?
You can charge your electric vehicle or hybrid car at a public charging point or a private charging point, also known as a home charging point. Discover all the charging options for your DS now!
How are the batteries from our vehicles recycled ?
More than 70% of the Li-Ion batteries of DS Automobiles vehicles are recycled (recycling rate higher than the regulatory 50%) and another part of these batteries are reused in stationary energy storage systems for individual homes, collective buildings and electrical networks. See all the information on recycling DS electric vehicle batteries.
Contractual guarantees for a DS electric vehicle
DS electric vehicles benefit from an 8-year warranty or 160,000 km for the traction battery. Find out more about our commitments on the DS electric car warranty.
When should you recharge your electric vehicle?
It is advisable to recharge your electric vehicle during off-peak hours if you have a home charging point in order to benefit from lower electricity rates. Generally speaking, and depending on the use of the vehicle, we recommend recharging your electric car battery when the battery level approaches 20% in order to preserve its long-term performance.
What are the different charging cables
There are 4 types of cable for charging your electric car or plug-in hybrid:
– Mode 3 three-phase and Mode 3 single-phase cables allow you to charge your vehicle via a DS Wall Box or a public charging station
– The Mode 2 cable allows you to charge your car via a domestic socket
– The reinforced Mode 2 cable allows you to connect to a reinforced domestic socket
Time to charge a DS electric vehicle
30 minutes of recharging time are necessary to recover 80% of the range of DS 3 E-TENSE via a 100 KW recharging station.
The recharging time of your electric vehicle depends on several factors:
– The battery capacity: batteries with a high kWh capacity require a long charging time
– The charging station: the higher the power of the station, the faster the charging time
– The charging cable: the kWh capacity of the cable used must be similar to that of the charging point
What is the range of a DS electric vehicle ?
The DS 3 E-TENSE electric vehicle offers a range of up to 300 km (WLTP cycle). To make the most of 100% electric driving, find out about the factors that can affect range and our advice on how to optimise your vehicle’s range.
How to optimise the range of my DS electric vehicle ?
The range of your electric vehicle can be affected by speed, driving style and weather conditions. Here are our tips for optimising your range:
– Adopt a smooth and fluid driving style
– Use Eco mode and regenerative braking
– Pre-heat or pre-air-condition your vehicle in hot or cold weather.
Differences between a DS Wall Box and a reinforced domestic socket
The main difference between a Wall Box or wall charging station and a reinforced domestic socket is the power delivered. Indeed, a reinforced domestic socket can support a power of 3.2 kW (reinforced mode 2 cable) whereas a DS Wall Box can support a power of 22 kW thus making the recharging time of the electric vehicle faster.
Preserve the battery life of the electric vehicle
If you do not use your electric vehicle for a certain period of time, we still recommend charging the battery once a month to preserve its performance. Under normal circumstances, the lithium-ion battery of your DS electric vehicle can be recharged every day even if it is not completely discharged, without any risk of deteriorating its performance.