Just as Hyundai did with Genesis, French automaker Citroën is spinning off its DS badge into its own luxury brand. Building off its work in the all-electric Formula E racing series, DS is set to unveil the E-Tense, an electric sports car concept, during the brand's debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
The E-Tense consists of a carbon fiber chassis with its lithium-ion batteries hidden in the floor and its electric motor hanging out back by the rear wheels. This 3,600-pound machine puts out 402 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to hustle the E-Tense to 60 miles per hour in about 4.5 seconds while maintaining a range of roughly 200 miles.
Inside, the E-Tense has just two seats and an equal number of screens. The driver has access to both a 12-inch main display and a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
Sadly, the car is just a concept, so there's a strong likelihood that we'll never get to toy around with a production model. But given Citroën's past work with EVs, along with the need for them to make room for its DS brand in a crowded segment, the company could very well give this car a fighting chance at existence. We'll get to see the little guy in person next week at Geneva.
Update March 1: See the gallery above for photos from the Geneva auto show.