After Skysphere, Grandsphere and Urbansphere concepts, Audi has revealed the Activesphere concept that can play a dual role. The fourth member of the sphere concepts showcases a unique concept that can transform from a coupe-SUV to a pickup truck.
At first glance, the Audi Activesphere concept might look like any other modern EV concept, but if you walk towards the back of the vehicle, you’ll notice that it has something fairly unique. If needed, the rear glass can slide up following the roofline while the tailgate drops down like in any pickup truck, opening up a cargo bed that features brackets for e-bikes, for example.
The C-pillars remain fixed because the vehicle needs to maintain its coupe silhouette. Of course, the bed size might be small compared with what traditional pickup trucks offer, but I think we should appreciate the idea. A motorized bulkhead deploys from behind the rear seats in order to isolate the cabin from the cargo stuff.
The Activesphere concept is also built around the Premium Platform Electric (PPE)—a modular BEV platform co-developed with Porsche. It has got two electric motors, one at each axle, offering combined figures of 325 kW (442 metric hp) and 720 Nm (531 lb-ft). A 100 kWh battery pack is estimated to offer a range of over 600 km (373 mi), and thanks to 800-volt architecture, the battery pack is capable of handling up to 270 kW DC fast charging.
The Activesphere concept is capable of driving itself, of course, at least in the concept for now. In autonomous mode, the dashboard, steering wheel, and pedals disappear. Interestingly, the dashboard doubles as a large soundbar, and apparently works in both the deployed and stowed positions. And, going bonkers on minimalism means, of course, you gotta compensate with AR headsets for all passengers.
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