- DS unveils its new flagship model, the N°8 fastback crossover EV, which has a WLTP range of up to 466 miles.
- Single- and dual-motor versions are offered with up to 350 hp and a 0-62 mph time of 5.4 seconds.
- The DS N°8 arrives in Europe around the middle of 2025.
Posh Stellantis brand DS wants to be noticed with its new N°8, which sounds more like a new fragrance, not an electric coupe crossover. DS is a luxury spinoff of the Citroen brand, and the N°8 is its flagship product, which makes it France’s fanciest new car.
DS calls the N°8 its flagship even though it’s about 4.7 inches (12 centimeters) shorter in overall length compared to the DS9 sedan. Its maker says it’s an SUV, but it’s almost too low to even call it a crossover, with a total height of just over 62 inches (1.58 meters), which is almost the same as a Polestar 4.
However, even though it’s slightly smaller than the DS9, the N°8, which arrives in Europe around the middle of 2025, will be more expensive. Its starting price is just under €60,000 and a fully-loaded Etoile top trim with all the options will reach €85,000. Its direct rival, the Polestar 4, starts at €63,200, while a Volkswagen ID.7 costs around €54,000.
The base N°8 has a 74-kilowatt-hour battery good for 355 miles (572 kilometers) WLTP. The larger 97.2-kWh battery is rated for 466 miles (750 km) in the single-motor, front-wheel-drive configuration or 426 miles (686 km) in the dual-motor. Both batteries can charge at up to 200 kW, which is enough for a 20 to 80% charge in 27 minutes.
With a drag coefficient of just 0.24, the N°8 achieves a WLTP efficiency of 4.81 miles/kWh (12.9 kWh/100 km), which DS says is class-leading. One charge of the big battery should be able to power the car at 74.5 mph (120 km/h) for 310 miles (500 km) of constant highway driving.
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Built on the STLA Medium 400-volt platform, the N°8 could have been equipped with mild and plug-in hybrid powertrains like the mechanically related Peugeot 3008 and 5008. However, only pure electric variants are offered. The base car features a single 227-horsepower electric motor that is dialed up to 242 hp with the long-range battery.
The most potent variant has a 345 hp dual-motor powertrain that temporarily goes up to 370 hp when the boost function is activated. This allows the N°8 to accelerate to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.4 seconds and up to 118 mph (190 km/h) flat out.
Technically, the DS N°8 has very similar numbers to the related Peugeot models, but it’s through its design that it stands out. Its light clusters are sharp, and they define the edges of its fascias, which is something Cadillac has also been doing with its design language for quite a while. Its greenhouse is low, and the fastback rear end is very aggressive, giving it quite a sporty look even by coupe crossover standards.
Inside, DS went for a bold steering wheel design that makes the driving experience feel very futuristic. It gets a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display complemented by a very wide 16-inch infotainment screen, and everything around them looks very extravagant—it’s quite an artsy-looking interior, and with available Alcantara or Nappa leather upholsteries and gold trim, it doesn’t look like anything else.
Since it’s French, you can expect some quirks, one of which being the interior door pulls that you find by reaching behind the speaker grilles. The faux grille in the front is also illuminated on the top variant, which makes an already bold design even more noticeable. Space in the trunk is abundant too, with an impressive maximum load volume of 21.9 cubic feet (620 liters) and easy access thanks to a powered hatch.
Other models it shares its platform with include the Opel Grandland and the Citroen C5 Aircross, both of which are also available with combustion powertrains. Stellantis is also working on a new Lancia Gamma built on the same underpinnings, which, like the DS N°8, will only come with electric power when it arrives in 2026.