The Audi Urbansphere concept has been revealed as a large electric SUV which has been designed for Chinese megacities and completes the firm’s trio of ‘sphere’ concepts.
The new concept follows on from the wild, shape-shifting Skysphere roadster concept and the radical Grandsphere concept, a large luxury saloon described by Audi as a ‘self-driving, private jet for the road’.
Like its ‘sphere’ siblings, the Urbansphere has been designed with level four autonomous driving capabilities, and uses the same Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture.
At 5510mm long, 2010mm wide and 1780mm tall, and with a wheelbase of 3400mm, the new Urbansphere is the biggest car to come out of the Ingolstadt-based brand.
The Urbansphere concept has a 120kWh battery, delivering a range of up to 466 miles. With 800v charging technology onboard the concept can be charged at speeds of up to 270kW.
Using a charger capable of such speeds would add 186 miles of range in just 10 minutes, while a charge up to 80% would take less than 25 minutes.
With an electric motor on both axles, the dual motor Urbansphere has a total output of 295kW (396bhp) and 509lb ft of torque.
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Instead of a conventional grille, Audi has created what it has called the ‘Audi Light Canvas” and octagonal-shaped interpretation of the Singleframe grille seen on many of the firm’s electric models. The LED ‘digital light surface’ covers the entire front of the car and can be used to communicate information to the driver.
A rectangular version of the LED light canvas sits at the rear of the car.
As a special tribute to China, Audi has created the ‘Audi Light Umbrella’, a luminous umbrella that passengers can take with them when they leave the car.
Even though the Urbansphere is a large SUV, it has been designed for megacities with a focus on the Chinese market. The development of the concept was done in collaboration with Audi’s design studios in Beijing and its headquarters in Ingolstadt, with potential customers in China taking part in the process.
The new concept features counter-hinged doors, with no B-pillar. When passengers climb into the car, the seats swivel outwards for greater ease of access, and ‘red carpet of light’ is projected onto the ground next to the vehicle.
Audi says that the interior of the Urbansphere was not subject to “the conventional maxim of squeezing as many seats, storage compartments, and functional elements as possible into a space limited by the physics of driving”.
Inside there are four seats in two rows, with the rear seats offering a large amount of legroom and can be adjusted to meet the needs of the passenger.
In addition, each seat can swivel round allowing the driver and passengers to to turn and face each other. Every seat has its own sound zone with speakers in the headrest and a privacy screen has also been fitted.
Individual monitors are built into the backs of the front seats and when passengers want to use the infotainment system together, there is a large-format and transparent OLED screen that pivots vertically from the roof area to the zone between the rows of seats, creating a ‘cinema screen’.
Audi says that it has used a number of sustainably sourced materials throughout the Urbansphere cabin. The Wood used has been sourced from trees near to the firm’s manufacturing facility and the seats are covered in recycled polyamide.
The steering wheel, pedals and conventional dashboard can be hidden away during automated driving.
Beyond its level four autonomous driving functionality, the Urbansphere can also take care of everyday tasks, such as making dinner reservations and ordering shopping. The autonomous concept can also pick up its passengers at home and drive itself to a parking space or charging point.
The infotainment system is also fully customisable, while an innovative control feature has been implemented into the drivers door.
Although the car has been designed for the Chinese market, Audi says the new Urbansphere would work in other countries, opening the possibility of a production version being sold globally.
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