Audi Urbansphere Concept: Is luxury all about the large minivan?

This concept car Audi Urbansphere responds to a niche market for wealthy Chinese seeking space. A luxury return of the minivan?

Today, Audi ventures into the uncharted territory of minivans. Since this segment has been deserted, it has already attracted other high-end automaker brands: Mercedes R-Class, Lexus LM, BMW Series 2 Active Tourer.

Audi Urbansphere or the Space Version Limousine

After the Skysphere and Grandsphere convertibles and sedans, Audi has decided to create a more family-oriented vehicle. For the brand, this trio represents “3 visions with different architectures but sharing powertrains and autonomous driving.”

Stretching 5.51 meters, this concept car is simply longer than any other vehicle on the market. For example, it exceeds by 45 cm the largest SUV from the brand, the Q7. However, the Audi Urbansphere is “designed for major cities,” clarifies Silke Guse, the brand’s strategy manager, “specifically China, following customer recommendations that guided the interior arrangement and thus the exterior.”

This also explains why the Urbansphere is two meters wide and stands 1.78 meters tall. Too large for the city? “We believe that parking in cities will be very different from what you know today,” responds S. Guse, “it will be able to park itself, no need to contort yourself to get in.” As for the style, it features a monovolume shape reflecting a “living sphere,” lightened by 24-inch wheels and an aluminum upper line. The minivan also has a glossy black lower panel, emphasizing the gigantic light strips at the front and rear.

A Gigantic Interior

While “space is an end in itself” for customers in Shanghai or Beijing megacities, the Audi Urbansphere aims to be “a third living space.” Designed to seat four people on large seats resembling a lounge more than a car, the vehicle optimizes “the use of travel time, whether for relaxation or productivity, thanks to semi-automatic driving and digitalization,” continues Silke Guse.

To distinguish itself from numerous cars bearing a logo upon approach, the Urbansphere rolls out the red carpet. Not a real carpet, but a long red light at the opening of the opposing doors, enhancing the luxurious dimension. Inside, the steering wheel is present but retractable. In Level 4 autonomous driving mode (thus capable of driving without human intervention), the dashboard is empty except for a large panoramic screen. It’s worth noting this would be feasible today “on highways or cities already covered by 5G,” according to Guse, but for the rest, “it will still take some time.”

The four passengers of the Audi minivan turned autonomous shuttle thus enjoy a modern lounge. It features natural fibers including bamboo viscose, recycled plastics like Econyl (a kind of nylon), or wood from sustainable sources. At the rear, the seats recline for rest or pivot when exiting the vehicle. In the middle, a center armrest hovers above a minibar that fits four glasses, while a large screen can descend from the roof.

High-Autonomy Electric Minivan

To accommodate more than 5.50 meters in length and a 3.40 m wheelbase, the Audi Urbansphere uses the PPE platform. This new electric base is an evolution of Porsche’s J1 platform used for the Porsche Taycan. It will also support the future electric Porsche models, including the Macan in 2023, and upcoming A6/Q6 e-tron models.

It supports fast charging up to 270 kW, and is powered by two electric motors—one on each axle. The minivan thus delivers 295 kW (400 hp) and 690 Nm to the four wheels. As for the battery, it’s not the same as those in Taycan or Audi e-tron GT. The pack here has a capacity of 120 kWh, providing an estimated range of 750 km WLTP standard.

Large and high-end, the electric minivan is designed for serious buyers. At a time when the automotive market is shifting toward leasing and car sharing, this Audi Urbansphere will be “owned.” Nevertheless, the German manufacturer told us it could appeal to fleets, including hotels or luxury services.

After the Audi Urbansphere, real compact electric cars?

During the presentation, journalists and ourselves naturally asked questions. Of course, the future of this Urbansphere remains uncertain, but the manufacturer has not yet made a decision. What about true compact Audi cars for urban areas?

“In the spirit of the A3 or A2, 2019 showed that such a car was possible, through the Ai:ME concept which we have never lost sight of,” responds Josef Schlossmacher, Audi’s head of product communication and technology, “the Urbansphere looks towards a different vision, in the high-end segment.”

So will we see electric A2 or A3 models? “Of course, that will happen; we won’t stop at Q6 and A6 e-tron,” continues J. Schlossmacher, “others will arrive in the coming years.” In between, the Audi A4 sedan will also have an e-tron variant, but this remains to be confirmed.

Read also: Hydrogen: a car concept imagined by the German space agency