Audi has saved the most intriguing — and arguably the most American — of its four spherical concepts for the last time: an electric pickup.
Yes, type. The Activesphere concept is the “master of transformation”, as Audi puts it — a coupe-like hatchback with an extended roofline, in which the entire rear section folds horizontally, then opening up to a full-sized luggage compartment. wide for an e-bike or perhaps a car. ATV. The flat ski rack is integrated into the roof structure, and the suicide-style rear door means there are no posts in between.
Spherical concepts, presented over the past few years, include sky sport car, great globe flagship, and urban city themed aerovan. A total of four circles—one for each circle in the Audi logo—create a vision of the brand’s future electric vehicle design that also incorporates autonomous driving.
Audi’s Activesphere Concept
In terms of design, the Activesphere concept would be easiest to visualize as a production model. It presents a unique middle ground between sleek and rugged, exploiting what Audi has with the A7 hatchback and transforming it into its electric E-Tron lineup while giving it a unique way of life. Solid Allroad handling.
“The Activesphere is unique,” says Gael Buzyn, director of the Audi Design Studio in Malibu, California, where the concept was designed. “It’s a new crossover that cleverly combines Audi Sportback luxury, SUV practicality and true off-road capability.”
A new look as E-Tron EVs become the core
Long-time Audi fans at first glance will likely lock right in on one of the design’s major record-breaking points: The single-frame grille, the mainstay of the brand, is gone, giving way to a sleek look. rather, albeit with a jagged cut that gives the design a bit of personality.
The Activesphere is 196.1 inches long, 81.5 inches wide and 63.0 inches tall, and runs on a 116.5-inch wheelbase. As Audi officials have pointed out, that’s roughly the size of the upcoming car. A6 E-Tron—and, perhaps, an American more knowledgeable about A6 E-Tron Avant E-Tron.
Audi’s Activesphere Concept
Audi’s Activesphere Concept
Like that model, Activesphere is built on 800-volt . PPE platform, and it operates on an adaptive air suspension. The front and rear electric motors make a total of 436 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. There is a dedicated off-road mode.
A modular battery pack with a capacity of about 100 kWh utilizes the full width between the front and rear axles for a lower height. Audi says advancements in battery charging—additional development from the E-Tron GT and Porsche Taycan—will enable a 5-80% charge in less than 25 minutes, or about 190 miles of recovery range in 10 minutes. .
Audi claims a range of more than 373 miles, but that could be on the softer WLTP cycle and this is just a concept car.
Cabin built around “mixed reality” moments
Switch to Level 4 autopilot—yes, we can dream—and the interior is reconfigured into a lounge. The four individual seats are suspended as if they were attached to the dominant center console that runs the length of the cabin. Overall, the interior design is very clean and it takes some of the themes in the Grandsphere but dives deeper into the future of “mixed reality” interface moments.
That look is largely dependent on the idea of a mixed reality headset that the driver and passenger would wear to experience the cabin and surroundings and interact with the vehicle. It takes a combination of hardware, software, and superfast processing and data connections to make it all work.
Audi’s Activesphere Concept
Audi’s Activesphere Concept
Audi’s Activesphere Concept
In Lounge mode, gesture control takes care of most of the controls, while transitions to driver control, with the steering wheel reappearing and the interface and transition information to focus on. Focusing on the driver, is a “heroic moment,” Audi notes.
Will this “cross-research” make it to production? Audi says all of these spherical concepts include several design concepts and themes for production. As for which ones, the Activesphere is capable of carrying a lot of them.
