Audi has confirmed that it will launch a fully
self-driving car in 2021 based on the Aicon concept car. The German marque took
the covers off the eye-catching Aicon at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show but
failed to confirm whether or not it would see the light of day. At its General
Meeting this week, however, Audi said that the Aicon will indeed be produced.
It is difficult to say how
dramatically the production car will differ from the concept. The initial show
car turned many heads, particularly thanks to its sleek flanks, curvaceous
body, short front and rear overhangs, elongated windscreen, narrow side
windows, and unique headlights and taillights.
Powering the Audi Aicon concept were four electric
motors located on the front and rear axles. All up, they produced 348 hp and
405 lb-ft of torque. Rather than developing the electric motors and and battery
pack for outright performance and nothing else, Audi opted to focus on range
and the concept could theoretically travel between 700 km and 800 km on a single charge.
As we’re still three years away from seeing the
production model, it could very well have an even greater range. When the Audi
Aicon launches, it will go toe-to-toe with the BMW iNEXT, a fully-autonomous
and all-electric luxury four-door that’s scheduled to land in 2021.
