France's Citroën will unveil an all-electric version of the premium DS3 three-door hatchback at the Paris Motor Show, a new report indicates. Billed as a thinly-veiled concept car, it will likely be added to the Citroën catalog before the end of the year.
Rumors circulating around the French media claim that the car is dubbed DS3 Electrum. Like the recently-unveiled Citroën Berlingo Electrique, it is expected to be nearly identical to its gasoline-burning counterpart when viewed from the outside.
The technical details that were leaked online are a little vague but it appears that the DS3 Electrum is powered by two 88-horsepower electric motors that are mounted in the car's engine bay in order to preserve as much passenger and cargo room as possible. They send power to the car's front wheels and get electricity from a lithium-ion battery pack that was developed by Panasonic.
The all-electric hatchback is expected to have a maximum range of about 75 miles and be fully rechargeable in six to nine hours on a standard household outlets, though an 80 percent charge can be obtained in a half hour when using a quick charger.
If the rumors are to be believed, the DS3 Electrum will make its public debut in Paris next Thursday. Â Stay tuned for live images straight from the show floor.
