Audi on Tuesday revealed the Urbansphere concept, the third and final member of a concept family that includes the Grandsphere sedan and Skysphere sports car.
The Urbansphere is a minivan whose development was skewed toward the Chinese market, with Audi even consulting with Chinese customers on what they wanted in a vehicle for the design.
The result is a big (it's almost 217 inches long), spacious vehicle for urban environments, which could serve as a family hauler, or perhaps an office or lounge on wheels—a third living space, as Audi describes it.
The concept is based on Volkswagen Group's PPE platform for electric vehicles, which will debut soon in Audi's Q6 E-Tron small crossover. In the Urbansphere, the platform supports a 120-kilowatt-hour battery and 800-volt electrical system. The battery can be charged at rates of up to 270 kilowatts, meaning a 5-80% charge in under 25 minutes would be possible.
The battery powers a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system in the Urbansphere. The peak output is 395 hp and 508 lb-ft of torque, and the all-wheel-drive system is designed to pause the front motor in certain situations to boost efficiency.
Audi Urbansphere concept
Audi Urbansphere concept
Audi Urbansphere concept
The Urbansphere represents a step into a new segment for Audi, but the posh van is something brands like Lexus and Mercedes-Benz have found success in. The Urbansphere is also new for Audi in that it was designed from the inside out.
The cabin features four individual seats in two rows, providing a luxurious experience akin to flying first class. The rear seats are the most comfortable, thanks to the ability to tilt them up to 60 degrees while leg rests extend at the same time. While the concept only has four seats, Audi says up to six seats can be fitted.
There is also a large-format and transparent OLED screen that pivots vertically from the roof area and faces the rear seats. This screen could be used for a conference call or for web browsing or streaming purposes. There is also a split mode, should each of the rear-seat passengers want their own content. When the screen is not in use, it offers a clear view into the front thanks to its transparent design or, when folded upwards, through the glass roof area to the sky.
Like many modern concepts, the Urbansphere is also fitted with a self-driving system, one Audi predicts will be available in the second half of the decade. The system is ranked at Level 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving capability, meaning the vehicle can travel without driver monitoring for extended periods. As a result, the designers made it possible to fold away the steering wheel and rotate the driver's seat so that its occupant can join the conversation with passengers in the rear.
Audi hasn't said whether the Urbansphere will be put into production, but we wouldn't be surprised to see a vehicle like it reach showrooms, especially in China.
