Audi has unveiled its latest concept vehicle, the Urbansphere, which has the largest interior space of any Audi to date and is designed specifically for use in the traffic-dense Chinese megacities such as Shanghai and Beijing.
Audi says the Urbansphere will act as a “lounge on wheels and mobile office” and “serve as a third living space during the time spent in traffic.”
The Urbansphere is the third of Audi’s three “sphere” class of concept vehicles – after the Skysphere and Grandsphere, both of which were unveiled during 2021.
Like its older kin, the latest offering is based on level 4 autonomous vehicle technology which Cariad, Volkswagen’s software business, plans to introduce in the second half of the decade.
Measuring in at 5.51-metres in length and 2.01-metres wide, with a height of 1.78-metres, the Urbansphere also boasts an unrivalled wheelbase of 3.40-metres.
The interior consists of four individual seats in two rows that can turn to face one another. Additionally, an infotainment system with a large-format and transparent OLED screen can pivot vertically from the roof area into the zone between the two rows of seats.
It will include a 120kWh battery and will boast a driving range of up to 750-kilometres (WLTP).
The autonomous Urbansphere – assuming it gets approval to act in this way – is also capable of picking up its passengers at home and independently taking care of finding a parking space and charging the battery.
Heads-up information is projected on the wooden surfaces below the windshield and, depending on the driving status – whether manual driving or level 4 autonomous driving – the projected displays are distributed across the entire width of the interior or segmented for the driver and front-seat passenger.
Much of the interior of the Urbansphere is made from sustainable sources, including the hornbeam veneers, seat padding made of Econyl, a recycled polyamide, which can also be recycled after its useful life, and bamboo viscose fabric is used in the armrests and in the rear of the vehicle.
Audi claims that no chemicals are used during the entire manufacturing process of the Urbansphere.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.