Classic-car electrification specialist Electrogenic has created what it believes to be the first professionally converted all-electric Citroen DS. The company adapted a 1971 version of the French icon renowned for its beauty and luxurious ride to a customer’s specification. The Oxford-based company combined a silent, zero-emission electric powertrain and retained but improved its famous “magic carpet” ride.
“Repowering classic cars with all-electric drive brings a number of benefits, from ease-of-use to reliability and performance gains,” said Steve Drummond, Director and Co-Founder of Electrogenic. “But with our conversions, the aim is always to enhance the original characteristics of the car. In this respect, the Citroen DS was ideally suited to an electric conversion; the silent powertrain adds to the serene driving experience and fits perfectly with the character of the car.”
Electrogenic removed the car’s original 2.0-L four-cylinder gasoline engine and replaced it with a HyPer 9 brushless electric motor that produces 120 bhp (89 kW) and 235 Nm (173 lb·ft)—both of which are substantial increases over the original’s 105 hp (78 kW) and 171 Nm (126 lb·ft).
The HyPer 9 motor is a joint effort of NetGain Motors, Inc. and Dana TM4 (formerly SME North America, Inc.). The motor is made by Dana TM4, and NetGain has exclusive worldwide distribution rights for electric-vehicle conversions.
The three-phase AC, SRIPM (synchronous reluctance internal permanent magnet) motor is powered by a matching Synchronous X1 controller/inverter. The motor differs from AC-induction and traditional permanent-magnet technology “on many levels,” but it works much like an AC induction motor and is cheaper than the rare-earth permanent magnet type. It is capable of running in IEC‘s highest efficiency class of IE4 (Super Premium Efficiency) and produces an additional 30-40% peak torque over similar-sized AC induction motors at a comparable cost.
SRIPM motors are the most highly efficient and powerful in their class, according to Hunter Hamstra, Vice President, NetGain Motors. He said that “they generate less heat and can operate over a greater range that guarantees superiority in a wide range of EV applications.”
Housed within the Electrogenic Citroen DS’s sleek body is a 48.5-kW·h battery pack offering a real-world range of about 140 mi (225 km) on a charge. A 29-kW onboard charger can charge the battery pack in around 2 h. Output is delivered to the front wheels through the car’s original manual gearbox.
The battery size and charger type can be tailored to suit the owner. An optional “range extender” battery provides can give a range boost to over 200 mi (322 km).
“It seems right to use modern technology to future-proof a car that was so far ahead of its time when it came out in the 1950s,” said Ian Newstead, Director and Co-founder of Electrogenic. “Our conversion breathes new life into the DS and means that future generations can continue to enjoy its charm for decades to come.”
One of the original DS’s defining features is its hydro-pneumatic suspension, which enables it to self-level and provides the car’s famously plush ride quality. Rather than using the original noisy mechanical pump, Electrogenic created a silent electric pump that it says delivers a more sophisticated ride.
“As with all first-time conversions, the DS presented us with unique challenges,” added Newstead. “In this case, adapting the hydro-pneumatic suspension to run without the combustion engine. The old pump was so noisy that it detracted from the silent drive of the car, but our new electric pump solved the issue completely. As with every conversion, the DS has added further to our knowledge of converting beautiful classics.”
As in its other conversions, Electrogenic maintained the beauty of the original car and the DS’s distinctive design remains unchanged. The only exterior clues to the car’s new electric powertrain are the absence of exhaust pipes and a new “DS EV Electronique” decal on the trunk lid.
Electrogenic is led by Drummond, who brings two decades of engineering and finance experience in the energy and climate change sector, and expert mechanic Newstead. Motivated by a passion for classic motoring history, and for contributing to a sustainable future, the pair say they use their respect for and knowledge of classic cars to future-proof them for the 21st Century. Each model conversion is custom, enabling Electrogenic classics to be reborn as a better version of themselves.
The company uses its proprietary EV technology to sympathetically convert a wide range of classics to electric power. Other world-first conversions announced in April were for a 1976 Triumph Stag and the first professionally converted 1957 Morgan 4/4.
