New DS No8 promises a big 465-mile range and super-fast charging

The DS No8 may sound like a French perfume, but the luxury offshoot of Stellantis is hoping to sniff out premium sales that would have gone to the likes of Audi, BMW, Polestar, and Tesla. Much of the plan is based on offering a “serene” ownership experience that includes a driving range of up to 465 miles between charges and as much as 310 miles of uninterrupted motorway use.

Using batteries made in France as a joint venture between DS parent company Stellantis and ACC, the No8 will be offered with three drivetrains, yielding 227bhp, 242bhp, or 345bhp. The most powerful version has twin motors and four-wheel drive, while the front-wheel drive DS No8 FWD Long Range has the 242bhp motor and delivers a claimed 465-mile range.

The flagship 345bhp model is the quickest and manages 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds with all-wheel driving helping, though it normally runs in front-drive form until the car senses a loss of traction to the front wheels with Eco or Normal modes selected. Sport and AWD options engage the permanent four-wheel drive. The FWD Long Range covers the 0-62mph sprint in 7.7 seconds. Choose the least powerful 227bhp model and 0-62mph takes 7.8 seconds. All have a top speed restricted to 118mph.

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As part of its plan to take on the best in the premium car market, DS says its push for ‘serenity’ also embraces faster charging to reduce the number and duration of stops on a longer journey. The company says the No8 is capable of driving from Paris, where the car has been designed, to Lyon on a single charge at motorway speed. That’s 280 miles, or the same as driving from London to Newcastle.

Using battery preconditioning, DS claims the No8 can recharge from 20- to 80% in 27 minutes using a 200kW charger. It can also consistently draw 160kW between 20% and 55%. The DS comes with an onboard 11kW AC charger, with the option of a 22kW version to be offered later. At home, a 7.4kW wall charger will need around 8 hours 50 minutes to take the No8 from 20% to 80% charge. Every DS No8 comes with V2L plug points to power external devices via a three-pin socket.

DS has designed the No8 with energy-saving in mind, so the car’s heat pump uses 40% less power to warm the cabin. There are three regenerative braking modes selected using paddles behind the steering wheel and a One-Pedal mode activated by a button on the centre console. With this enabled, the No8 can be driven without touching the brake pedal other than for rapid stops.

Efficiency is a word that DS uses a lot when describing the No8 and is applied to the car’s styling with a drag coefficient of 0.24Cd, which is only slightly behind a Tesla Model 3. A flat underside and active air intakes in the front bumper contribute to this impressive figure. Active Scan suspension is another No8 feature to help the car glide along by sensors reading the road’s surface and adjusting the shock absorbers accordingly for the smoothest, most energy efficient drive.

Other new tech for the No8 includes DS Drive Assist 2.0, which gives the car the ability for semi-autonomous driving between 29- and 87mph. It can let the car perform what DS calls “semi-automatic lane changing” without the driver confirming the move. If the driver does use the indicator, the system can let the car swap lanes automatically. Drive Assist 2.0 also comes with ACC Predictive adaptive cruise control and lane keep assistance, while Active Lane Change Assist checks the car’s blind spots and cars approaching from behind.

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As well as all the driving assistance and efficiency tech in the DS No8, the French firm has not forgotten about more traditional luxury. The cabin is trimmed in large swathes of aluminium or wood panels, with plenty of leather. This hide is tanned using non-toxic and biodegradable methods, and many of the materials come from recycled textiles. DS has also shunned any chrome parts in the No8 in favour of a painted effect due to the impact of the chrome plating process on the environment.

A large 16-inch central screen uses the DS Iris System 2.0 and can work with voice commands. There is a small screen directly in front of the X-shaped steering wheel to display key driving information. Between the front occupants is a two-tier console with a “floating” top section. There will be two trim levels, Etoile and Pallas, and a choice of five different trims for the interior. Prices will range from £45,000 to £72,000.

As the DS No8 is based on the same Stellantis STLA Medium platform as the Peugeot E-5008, passenger space should be generous. The No8 has a 620-litre boot capacity, which puts it well ahead of most premium sector rivals, and it’s accessed via the fastback design’s tailgate rather than a saloon’s boot as with most of its competitors.