Audi Urbansphere EV 2025: New levels of luxury and technology for electric vehicles
Audi design experts from Ingolstadt and Beijing have a treat for customers in China – the Audi urbansphere concept. The luxurious Audi van concept was developed taking into account the needs of Chinese customers – space, comfort and digitalization.
Urbansphere EV
The electric minivan is the third concept in the Sphere Trifecta after the Audi skysphere (unveiled at Monterey Car Week ) and the Audi grandsphere (premiered at IAA ). Here’s everything we know about the Audi urbansphere concept in May :
Minivan design
The Audi urbansphere design was born in the Audi design studios in Beijing and Ingolstadt. Its proportions are deceptive, and in the press photos it looks like a van. But the Urbansphere concept is longer than the Audi A8 L. The luxury electric minivan concept measures 217.9 inches (5.51 meters), making it almost 10 inches longer than the A8 L. The Audi designers have taken a lot of liberties with a generous playing area.
At the front, there is a fresh interpretation of the Audi-typical single-frame grille, which now has an octagonal shape. A flood of LEDs is integrated into the grille. A digital 3D light structure is arranged in “dynamically condensed pixel areas”. The matrix LED headlights are positioned above the grille and appear incredibly slim. The glass surface is impressive; the windshield flows seamlessly into the rear and is reminiscent of fighter jets.
The zero-emission Audi van concept rides on massive 24-inch aero-optimized wheels and doesn’t get conventional mirrors. Instead, narrow panels with cameras protrude from the A-pillar. The doors are hinged in opposite directions (front and back), and there is no B-pillar. The front and back harmonize perfectly, as the back also gets digital surfaces with 3D pixel lights. The roofline slopes gently into the steeply sloping rear window, while the massive 4-part diffuser gives the Audi van a sporty appearance – not a word you associate with vans, but Audi has managed it.
Product design
Our rendering shown above predicts the production-specific look of the Audi urbansphere. While the overall shape and size are almost identical, Audi’s road-going electric van is unveiled with a simplified exterior. The octagonal singleframe is a comparatively normal mask similar to the Audi Q4 e-tron . The side extensions are also absent, and we have used vertical headlights and air intakes instead. The rendered model features changes such as production ORVMs, doors, roof, roof rails, and flush door handles.
Interior & Equipment
The interior seems to have plenty of space, with a 3.4-meter (133.8-inch) wheelbase. The swiveling rear seats can be reclined up to 60 degrees so that rear passengers face each other. They also get leg rests. There’s a massive, vertically swiveling, roof-mounted transparent movie screen for rear passengers – similar to what we’ve recently seen on the new 7th generation BMW 7 Series and i7 , but unique in form factor.
That’s not the only screen in the cabin. The backrests of the front seats will get “privacy screens,” similar to what we see on passenger airlines. Another party trick of the Audi urbansphere concept is the folding steering and pedals. The concept is suitable for level 4 autonomous driving, so the steering can be hidden behind the dashboard, while the pedals hide behind the footwell. Audi has also integrated VR glasses into the armrests.
Instead of an infotainment screen and digital cluster, there are visual projections on the wooden surfaces under the windshield. Users can control menus with a rotary ring on the door panels (MMI touchless response). In addition, sustainable materials are used generously in the cabin. No chemicals were used for the interior, the seats are made of Econyl (recycled polyamide) and the armrests of the Audi van are made of bamboo viscose fabric.
Audi urbansphere specifications
The Audi urbansphere concept measures 5.51 meters in length, 2.01 meters in width and 1.78 meters in height. It has a 133.8-inch wheelbase. The concept is based on Audi’s Premium Platform Electric , which was developed jointly with Porsche and the VW Group . The platform is also used by the upcoming electric Porsche Macan and the Audi Q6 e-tron.
In terms of powertrain, the Audi urbansphere concept comes with a dual-motor AWD setup producing 295 kW (401 hp) and 508 lb-ft. The PPE enables 800-volt charging, so the Audi van’s 120+ kWh battery can be charged from 5 to 80% in under 25 minutes. According to Audi, the estimated WLTP range is 466 miles. The vehicle also gets rear-axle steering for improved maneuverability and adaptive air suspension.
Level 4 Autonomous Driving
Audi’s electric van is capable of Level 4 autonomous driving. The vehicle can drive itself with minimal human intervention, unlike Level 3 where the driver should be ready to take over when needed. Audi is currently working with CARIAD, the software arm of the VW Group, to introduce the technology in the second half of this decade.
Release date of the electric Audi Urbansphere delivery van
Audi has not given any official production plans for the electric van, and the Urbansphere is purely a design study. Assuming Audi’s internal market analysts come back with a positive business case and get the backing of the top bosses in Ingolstadt, it could arrive in China by mid-decade. Rivals would be the Zeekr 002, the Voyah Dreamer, and gas-powered Audi Urbansphere minivans like the Lexus LM. Not all of the above gizmos would make it into production. However, Audi will try to flex its muscles with high-tech features to maintain its brand image.
Price Audi Urbansphere EV
The production version will not arrive until , we expect prices from £75,000 for a version with slightly less range and power and no self-driving capability to over £100,000 for a version with kit and autonomous technology.
