DS 3 E-Tense review: running costs & insurance
Electric cars like the DS 3 E-Tense by their nature cost less to run their petrol-powered counterparts – but the electric car road tax exemption will end in 2025
| Insurance group | Warranty | Service interval | Annual company-car tax cost (20%/40%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | 3yrs/60,000 miles | 2yrs/16,000 miles | From £143/£285 |
The potential savings over a petrol or diesel car are unlikely to be as high as before, but you should still be able to save money by running an electric car like the DS 3 E-Tense. Especially because with fewer moving parts, EVs are generally more reliable than their petrol or diesel equivalents, and don’t need to be serviced as frequently.
Electric cars are also particularly attractive for company-car drivers because they attract a 2% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate until at least August 2024, compared to 30% to 32% for the petrol-powered version. Plus, you don’t have to pay road tax or the London Congestion Charge until 2025.
DS 3 E-Tense insurance group
Unfortunately we don’t have insurance ratings for the updated DS 3 line-up just yet. But, in most cases electric cars will cost more to insure than their petrol-powered counterparts, and the pre-facelift DS 3 was no exception. The compact electric SUV fell into groups 27 to 30, depending on the trim level, which was considerably more than the group 14 to 24 spread that covers the petrol and diesel DS 3s.
Warranty
The DS 3 E-Tense gets a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. While somewhat unexceptional, this is fairly standard across the industry and compares well with rivals. However, the Kia Niro EV gets a seven-year/100,000-mile guarantee, so if you plan to keep your car for longer, this could be worth consideration. On top of the standard warranty, the DS 3 also comes with an eight-year/100,000-mile battery guarantee. If the battery can no longer hold at least 70% of its original capacity, the company will replace it free of charge.
Servicing
Servicing intervals for the DS 3 E-Tense match the arrangement Peugeot recommends for the e-2008. This means servicing every two years or 16,000 miles – whichever comes first.
Road tax
As is the case with all electric cars, the DS 3 E-Tense is currently zero-rated for annual road tax (VED) and escapes the London Congestion Charge. However, in 2025 that will come to an end.