Audi Activesphere Concept: Electric Adventure in Augmented Reality

Huge crossover designed like a sedan, the Audi Activesphere concept car aims to illustrate the electric SUV of the future.

Audi is changing gears for its cars, and has been sharing this shift through its “sphere” concept cars introduced since 2021. It all started with the Skysphere convertible, the GrandSphere sedan, and last spring the Urbansphere minivan. The fourth member has just been unveiled, called ActiveSphere. A name that implies activity, for what is essentially a large sedan with faux Aston Martin Rapide looks, transformed into an adventurous 4×4.

An Audi Activesphere designed for its passengers

Perched on large 22-inch wheels with black side skirts, this Audi is actually a window into the brand’s upcoming electric models. The Audi ActiveSphere demonstrates the capabilities of the new PPE platform, developed alongside Porsche as a successor to the J1 platform used for the Taycan and e-tron GT.

With its very short front overhang, the German crossover provides more space for occupants, with a wheelbase of nearly 3 meters. One might think it could transport 7 people, but the four-ring company prefers luxury with four spacious seats. As a certain minivan once said, luxury is space. The Ingolstadt firm emphasizes that the interior is “where passengers feel at home and can connect with the outside world at the same time”.

As the trend towards fully connected cars suggests, passengers are immersed in a sea of data, but via augmented reality replacing traditional screens with special glasses. This is only in autonomous driving mode, where the vehicle makes the steering wheel disappear to check its route with a 3D map. Behind the cabin, the rear overhang remains sizeable, as the crossover becomes a pickup at will, capable of carrying long loads or two VTTs (maybe Porsche ones?). Thus, Audi offers a more elegant alternative to the very prominent Tesla Cybertruck, or the monstrous Ram Revolution.

600 km of adventures

As for the specifications, Audi does not delve into details, citing a range of 600 kilometers and a battery operating at 800 V. This voltage is significant, allowing for high charging powers and thus reduced charging times at fast-charging stations.

But don’t get your hopes up; the Audi ActiveSphere will not be on the roads, at least not under that name or in that form. The first true vehicle based on the PPE platform will be the Audi Q6 e-tron, a much more traditional SUV slotting between the Q4 and the massive Q8. Promised for late 2023 at best and more likely in 2024, it will share the platform with the electric Porsche Macan.

Also read: BMW i Vision Dee: this concept hints at the digital future showcased at CES 2023