Audi has launched the third and last vehicle from the “sphere” range of concepts called the Urbansphere. The futuristic EV with a minivan silhouette is designed for use in the megacities of the future, prioritizing the passenger’s in-vehicle experience. The Urbansphere was supposed to debut at the Beijing Auto Show, but since the event has been postponed due to the pandemic, it was revealed online.
Following the Skysphere (roadster) and
Grandsphere (large sedan) from last year, the Urbansphere (minivan) is a
collaborative project between Audi’s design studios in Beijing, China, and
Ingolstadt, Germany. The goal was to create a vehicle for the Chinese
megacities, with designers taking input from potential customers in China
during development.
Starting with the dimensions, the concept
is not what you would expect from an urban-focused proposal. In fact, measuring
5.5 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 1.78 meters tall, with a wheelbase of 3.4 meters, it’s actually
longer than a Cadillac Escalade (5.4 m)! The monolithic
proportions make it look like a minivan with a heavily raked windscreen, an
aerodynamic roofline, sculpted bodywork, massive 24-inch wheels, and large
digital areas on both ends. The latter are designed to communicate with the
environment through pixel-style LEDs creating different shapes and colors.
The highlight is the front end with a new
interpretation of the now-digital and fully-covered Singleframe grille which
extends towards the sides, similar to the Skysphere concept. In this way, Audi
is somehow in line with the latest massive-grille trend that is quite popular
in minivans. Audi describes the concept as “a lounge on wheels and a mobile
office, serving as a third living space during the time spent in traffic” while
bragging that it has the most interior space of any of its models helped both
by its shape and the packaging of the EV platform.
Indeed, the interior which is accessible
through large suicide doors looks rather airy and welcoming. While it could
easily fit many passengers, the Urbansphere has only four independent seats
arranged in two rows so that it can offer the best possible experience. The
seats have Relax and Entertain modes with different degrees of tilting and
swiveling, leg rest extensions, and speakers on the headrests for private sound
zones. The steering wheel, digital instrument cluster, and pedals hide when the
vehicle is in autonomous mode. After all, like the previous sphere concepts,
the Urbansphere comes with Level 4 capability which will be introduced in
production vehicles within the second half of the decade.
Passengers have access to many different
digital services and infotainment features visible through projection on the
dashboard, screens mounted on the seatbacks, VR glasses, or a retractable
transparent OLED display for the rear passengers. The MMI touchless response on
the door including a rotating ring and buttons allows the driver to access many
different settings, while it can also be used via eye-tracking, gesture
control, and voice control when the seat is fully reclined. Control panels for
all passengers are integrated into the armrests, remaining hidden when not in
use. The vehicle also supports stress detection technology using facial scans
and voice analysis and offering suggestions for relaxation. For the upholstery,
Audi used sustainable Bamboo viscose fabric, a recycled polyamide called
ECONYL, and hornbeam veneers without any chemicals during the manufacturing
process. Another cool feature is the swiveling center console which contains a
water dispenser and glasses. Finally, the concept comes with the Audi Light
Umbrella, an illuminating umbrella inspired by Chinese tradition that can both protect
the user from the rain and act as a portable light source for dark areas.
The Urbansphere might be a design study
but it is based on the EV-dedicated PPE platform developed by Audi and Porsche
for production vehicles including the upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron, A6 e-tron, and
Porsche Macan EV. The concept is fitted with dual electric motors producing a
combined 396 hp and 690 Nm of torque although
only a small portion of those figures will be utilized in city traffic. The quattro
four-wheel-drive system can deactivate the front or the rear electric motor
when required to improve energy consumption. The floor-mounted battery has a
capacity of 120 kWh, with Audi estimating its WLTP range to be around 750 km. The 800 Volt technology allows fast charging capability of up to
270 kW, providing 300 km of range in just 10 minutes, while a 5 to
80 percent charge takes less than 25 minutes. For optimum comfort, there is an
adaptive air suspension system, with four-wheel-steering making it more agile.
With the Urbansphere concept, Audi shows
us its considering new vehicle segments for the electric era. Minivans are
quite popular in the Chinese market with more and more companies entering the
premium part of the segment, thus we wouldn’t dismiss the possibility of a
production vehicle with similar traits. Having said that, the sphere concepts
were conceived as design studies and their main role is to showcase the styling
language and technology of future Audi models.