Audi is rounding out its family of electric concepts that began with the skysphere roadster from 2021 with the activesphere. It’s a four-door ‘coupe’ with a trick up its sleeve. The rear daylight opening and lower trunk panel can 2013 Lincoln MKZ-style retract up along the rear hatch via a mechanical track of some sort. This creates a small opening that resembles a truck bed, and can be used in limited cases as such. The pictures below demonstrate how two-wheeled vehicles like mountain bikes make use of the space. The activesphere is clearly a sedan with some serious ground clearance – roughly 8.2 inches standard. It can raise or lower up to 40 millimeters in either direction, so roughly 3.2 inches of overall travel. It is clearly aimed at those who want to take a sedan-like vehicle off-roading, look at the approach and departure angles! Approach is 18.9 degrees, departure is 28.1!
Inside the activesphere utilizes AI and AR to display controls and allow the ‘driver’ to interact with the car. Driver is in quotes because Audi touts the ‘spheres’ as being heavily autonomous vehicles without the need for the traditional car interior. They still implement a steering wheel, but in autonomous mode the the steering wheel, pedals and dashboard disappear from view. The cabin is open and airy with lounge-like communal seating. Virtual menus and user interfaces are displayed over elements of the interior (like speakers and air vents) when the occupant wears one of the provided VR headsets. Once you’ve carried out the command or control, the virtual interface disappears.
Powering the activesphere concept is a 100-kWh battery riding atop the brand’s upcoming PPE electric platform. Range for this vehicle in particular is presumed to be around 370 miles. The dual-motor all-wheel drive setup produces 435 horsepower and 531 lb.-ft. of torque. PPE is an 800-volt architecture, with 186 miles of range capable of being recouped with just 10 minutes of 350 kW DC fast charging.
More on the Audi activesphere Concept here.
