German auto giant Audi has completed its sphere concept series with the launch of its activesphere concept, a four-door crossover coupé.
The fourth model in the series, the activesphere, follows the skysphere roadster, the grandsphere saloon, and the urbansphere space concept.
The luxury sports car is 4.98 meters long, 2.07 meters wide, and 1.60 meters high, with large 22-inch wheels. The activesphere’s ground clearance is also variable; ideal for off-road use, it can be increased by 40 millimetres from the basic height of 208 millimetres, or lowered by the same amount when driving on-road, the company said.
The Sportback rear of the activesphere can turn into an open cargo bed, transforming the vehicle into a pickup that can carry recreational equipment such as e-bikes or water and winter sports gear.
With no local emissions, the vehicle provides a range of over 372 miles, and extremely fast charging, thanks to 800-volt technology. A 10-minute charging can deliver more than 186 miles, while 25 minutes are enough to charge the 100kWh battery from 5% to 80%.
It has an autonomous chauffeuring capability on suitable terrain. When it is driving in autonomous mode, the dashboard, steering wheel, and pedals disappear into an invisible position.
The activesphere marks the first time that a car with a Sportback hatchback incorporates the design elements and technical equipment of an allroad, the company said. Right and left above the singleframe, the narrow headlight units appear like focused eyes. Daytime running lights and rear lights use ultra-fine micro-LED technology.
Due to its dimensions and performance level, the activesphere concept lends itself to the use of Audi’s most innovative electric drive system: the Premium Platform Electric, or PPE, the company said. Designed exclusively for EV systems, the PPE is being developed under Audi’s leadership together with Porsche AG. The first Audi production vehicles based on PPE will be presented, one after the other, before the end of 2023.
The PPE is the first platform designed to accommodate an unprecedented range of high-volume automobiles – including SUVs and CUVs with high ground clearance. This also includes cars with a flat silhouette that are part of Audi’s core product range, such as the Audi A6 series, whose external dimensions and wheelbase are almost identical to the Audi activesphere concept, the company said. The key element of the future PPE fleet is a battery module between the axles; in the Audi activesphere concept, it holds around 100kWh of energy.
Electric motors on the front and rear axles of the all-wheel drive activesphere concept together deliver a total output of 325kW and a system torque of 720Nm of torque. It accelerates to 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds. The top speed can be variably fixed depending on whether the car is driving in on-road or off-road mode.