DS AUTOMOBILES NAMED AS AN APPROVED FIA FORMULA E MANUFACTURER

DS Automobiles, which has been actively involved in the FIA Formula E Championship through its motorsport division DS Performance in association with DS Virgin Racing since 2015/2016, is about to take its commitment to the series with an important step forward.

The all-electric single-seater racing series, which visits four continents and major cities including Hong Kong to Montréal, Marrakech, Buenos Aires, Paris, Berlin and New York, fits perfectly with DS Automobiles’ avant-garde approach to mobility. Indeed, the competition’s proximity to the public and the scope for innovation it offers has convinced the French brand to take its involvement to an exciting new level.

Last autumn, to mark its second season in the discipline (2016/2017), DS Performance introduced the DSV-02, the electric motor, gearbox and ancillaries – along with their integration at the rear of the chassis – were developed and engineered at the brand’s motorsport headquarters in Versailles, near Paris, in France. DS Virgin Racing has also benefited greatly from the driving simulator developed by DS Performance.

From the FIA Formula E Championship’s fifth season (2018/2019), and for a period of at least three years, DS Automobiles will build its own single-seater cars. From Season 5, drivers will be able to complete the full race distance with just one chassis and teams wishing to compete in the series will need to form an association with an official FIA-approved manufacturer, whose ranks now include DS Automobiles.

This initiative will contribute to the development of DS Automobiles’ range of electric road cars, with the DS 7 CROSSBACK – which was unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show – and other models all poised to benefit from the experience acquired by DS Performance in the FIA Formula E Championship.

Yves Bonnefont, DS Brand CEO, said: “Motorsport serves as a tremendous research and development laboratory and I am convinced that the Formula E is the motor sport of the 21st century. We are proud to have been selected by the FIA [Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile] as official manufacturer. DS Automobiles and its motorsport division DS Performance have succeeded in forming a technological bridge that will enable our customers to drive high performance electric and hybrid models. After DS 5 Hybrid 4WD, the DS 7 CROSSBACK will have a plug-in hybrid/petrol powertrain model, named E-Tense. In the future, each of our models will have an electric or hybrid version.”

Xavier Mestelan Pinon, DS Performance Director, said: “DS Automobiles is a young brand and DS Performance was only founded in August 2015. To be one of the championship’s official manufacturers will enable us to become even more responsive, boost our research and development activities and contribute to the electrification of DS Automobiles’ road car range. Our technical staff face the extremely stimulating challenge of having to produce all-electric single-seaters capable of covering entire races. The fifth FIA Formula E Championship is poised to be a revolution and we are proud to be playing a key part in the process.”

For more information on the DS Virgin Racing Formula E Team, please visit www.ds-virginracing.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

ADRIEN DA CUNHA BELVÈS - PR DS Performance +33 685 262791 adrien.dacunhabelves@DSautomobiles.com

UK COMMUNICATIONS

KEVIN JONES – Head of Communications 02476 884215 kevin.jones@DSautomobiles.com

PRESS FLEET ENQUIRIES:

CRAIG MORROW – Press Fleet Officer 02476 884261 craig.morrow@mpsa.com

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About DS AUTOMOBILES

A French brand born in Paris, DS was founded on 1 June 2014. Its ambition is to embody the French know-how of luxury in its cars. Driven by its outstanding heritage and avant-garde spirit, DS perpetuates the values of innovation and distinction inherited from the first DS, launched in 1955.

Designed for customers looking for a means to express themselves as individuals, the DS Collection comprises DS 3, DS 3 CABRIO, DS 4, DS 4 CROSSBACK, DS 4S, DS 5, DS 5LS, DS 6 and completed with DS 7 CROSSBACK. The models in the DS range stand apart through their avant-garde design, refinement and attention to detail, advanced technology and dynamic serenity.

Presented at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, DS 7 CROSSBACK, the SUV by DS featuring Parisian-style innovation and savoir-faire, ushers in the second generation of DS models. With the DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première limited edition model, forward thinkers can reserve their car online or at a DS Store or DS Salon, and be the first to get behind the wheel. Committed to high-performance hybrid and electric cars, the Brand will launch the DS 7 CROSSBACK equipped with E-Tense, the hybrid powertrain by DS, in 2019.

DS models are available from DS Stores, DS Salons and a selection of other dedicated spaces within the Citroën network. DS also has two flagship stores, DS WORLD PARIS and DS WORLD SHANGHAI. DS represents a brand experience that goes beyond the products to include ONLY YOU, a collection of exclusive services showcased at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

Follow all DS news on www.DSautomobiles.com @DS_Official

About Virgin group:

Virgin is a leading international investment group and one of the world's most recognised and respected brands. Conceived in 1970 by Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Group has gone on to grow successful businesses in sectors including mobile telephony, travel & transportation, financial services, leisure & entertainment and health & wellness.

About Total:
Total is a global integrated energy producer and provider, a leading international oil and gas company, and the world's second-ranked solar energy operator with SunPower. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, cleaner, more efficient, more innovative and accessible to as many people as possible. As a responsible corporate citizen, we focus on ensuring that our operations in more than 130 countries worldwide consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. ww.total.com

About the FIA Formula E Championship:

The FIA Formula E Championship is the world’s first fully-electric single-seater racing series, competing on the streets in the backdrop of some of the most iconic cities - including Hong Kong, Marrakesh, Buenos Aires, Monaco, Paris, Montreal and New York. The championship represents a vision for the future of the motor industry, serving as a platform to showcase the latest innovations in electric vehicle technology and alternative energy solutions. Future seasons will see the regulations open up further allowing manufacturers to focus on the development of motor and battery components, which in turn will filter down to everyday contemporary electric road vehicles. The 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship sees 10 teams and 20 drivers go wheel-to-wheel in 12 cities spanning five continents in the fight to be crowned Formula E champion. The inaugural season of Formula E sparked into life in September 2014 around the grounds of the Olympic Park in Beijing. The third season of the all-electric racing series gets underway on October 9 in Hong Kong, with the season finale double-header in Montreal on July 29 & 30.

About FIA & Michelin - Today’s partners for tomorrow’s mobility:

As well as being the official Formula E tyre supplier, Michelin is an official partner, at the international level, of the FIA Action for Road Safety campaign. The programme is designed to support the Decade of Action for Road Safety initiated by the UN, the aim of which is to save five million lives over the next 10 years. This programme is set up to educate and advocate for safer roads, vehicles and behaviours around the globe.