China-specific Audi urbansphere concept unveiled, previews future of mobility

Audi has unveiled the urbansphere concept car, its third 'sphere' vehicle, for use in traffic-dense Chinese megacities, previewing the future of mobility.

Audi urbansphere concept

Audi has unveiled the urbansphere concept car, specifically created for use in traffic-dense Chinese megacities, although the concept is also suitable for any other metropolitan center in the world. In these urban areas, where personal space is in particularly short supply, the concept car offers the largest interior space apart from technologies and digital services that appeal to urban dwellers.

For the first time, potential customers in China could also take part in the development process, contributing their own desires and perspectives as part of a process known as “co-creation”. The result can be seen in the Audi urbansphere concept's interior that acts as a lounge on wheels and a mobile office, serving as a third living space during the time spent in traffic. 

With this, Audi now has three spheres - Audi skysphere, Audi grandsphere, and Audi urbansphere all developed to showcase its vision for the world of premium mobility of tomorrow. The electrically driven roadster Audi skysphere concept debuted in August 2021 and presented a vision of a self-driving GT that transforms into a self-driving sports car with a variable wheelbase.

Just a few weeks later, Audi unveiled the second model in the sphere series, the Audi grandsphere concept, at the IAA 2021. This large four-seater sedan defines the future of progressive luxury. What both concept cars have in common with the Audi urbansphere is that the entire concept is based on level 4 autonomous vehicle technology. 

As for the urbansphere, it is 5.51 meters (18 feet) long, 2.01 meters (6.6 feet) wide, and 1.78 meters (5.8 feet) high. The most important dimension is the unrivalled wheelbase of 3.40 meters (11.2 feet). The doors of the Audi urbansphere concept are counter-hinged at the front and the rear; there is no B-pillar. Seats that swivel outward and a red carpet of light projected onto the ground next to the vehicle transform the very act of entering the car into an experience of comfort.

The steering wheel, pedals, and conventional dashboard can be hidden during automated driving. Soft beige and grey tones are used for the interior, while materials such as the hornbeam veneers, come from sustainable sources. No chemicals are used during the manufacturing process and the seat padding is made of ECONYL®, a recycled polyamide. This material can also be recycled after its use in the automobile – without any loss of quality.

The technology platform of the Audi urbansphere – the Premium Platform Electric or PPE – was designed exclusively for battery-electric drive systems and the battery module between the axles, holds around 120 kilowatt hours of energy. The Audi urbansphere concept’s two electric motors are capable of delivering a total output of 295 kilowatts and a system torque of 690 newton meters.

The heart of the drive system is the 800 volt charging technology. It ensures that the battery can be charged with up to 270 kilowatts at fast-charging stations in the shortest possible time and can be charged from 5 to 80 percent in less than 25 minutes. It has a range of up to 750 kilometers (466 miles) according to the WLTP standard.