If the name leaves you in any doubt, just a quick glance at the Audi activesphere concept is enough to indicate the intention with this, the latest design concept from the Audi ‘sphere’ family. The Audi activesphere concept is designed with the active lifestyle in mind – the future of the luxury SUV if you will – featuring the very latest automotive technology and connectivity to take full advantage of every situation and all time spent on board.

Joining the Audi skysphere, grandsphere and urbanshpere concepts, this new design study is a fully-electric vehicle that also offers level five autonomous driving and as such, is so much more than a luxury conveyance with ‘go anywhere’ versatility. 

A product of the Audi Design Studio in Malibu, it exists as another lifestyle ‘space’ for occupants, offering a roomy interior that can be utilised by those on the move as more than just a comfortable place to relax during a journey. The level of autonomous driving frees up those on board to ‘spend’ time as they choose, rather than simply ‘pass’ time, while its allroad ability and electric quattro drive broadens its scope in terms of where it can travel.

The activesphere uses the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) which is being developed by Audi in conjunction with Porsche exclusively for battery-electric drive systems. Measuring 4.98 metres long, 2.07 metres wide and 1.60 metres high makes it is a large vehicle, which is good news for occupants. 

Add to that its 2.97 metre wheelbase and the flat internal floor made possible by the all-electric drive and the result is tremendous interior space.

Riding on big 22-inch rims, they feature movable segments that open for optimum ventilation off-road and close on-road for optimum aerodynamics, and with large wheel arches that take the concept of quattro blisters to another level, there’s no denying the active sphere’s presence as well as its practicality. In addition, the vehicle features a variable ride height of up to 40mm, with approach and departure angles of 18.8 degrees and 28.1 degrees respectively, meaning it is more than capable of leaving the blacktop and the city far behind.

It’s the futuristic extension of a theme Audi has worked with for many years, with vehicles like the Audi allroad quattro which first offered this luxury platform with tremendous versatility back in 2000. 

But where the allroad quattro was a luxurious Avant, the activesphere derives from the Audi Sportback design language which has been cleverly reimagined to accommodate  bulky lifestyle equipment with what’s called the ‘active back’.

Here everything from bikes to golf clubs can be housed while keeping the occupants separated from the active back section by a motorised bulkhead that deploys when the active back is in use. Additionally a ski rack is integrated in the centre of the roof structure, which is completely flush and practically invisibly in the roof arch when not in use, but extends when it's needed.

“The activesphere is unique,” says Gael Buzyn, Studio Manager of the Malibu studio.

“It is a new type of crossover that cleverly combines the elegance of an Audi Sportback, the practicality of a SUV and true offroad capabilities.”

As has been the case with the other sphere design studies, the activesphere was designed from the inside out – the comfort and accommodation of its occupants catered to first before the smooth, purposeful exterior was even contemplated. To that end, opposed-opening doors (reminiscent of urbansphere and grandsphere) maximise entry and interior space by removing the B pillar altogether) welcoming occupants to the palatial interior with seating for four.

When the Audi activesphere concept is driving in autonomous mode, the dashboard, steering wheel, and pedals disappear into an invisible position. From the first row of seats, a wide space opens in front of the driver, which extends to the front end of the activesphere – and beyond. For a clear field of vision, the fully glazed Singleframe gives passengers an unobstructed view of the road in front.

The dashboard itself works like a huge sound bar as well as a smart, full width air vent in both the deployed and stowed position. Overhead, four sets of augmented reality headsets are stored which allow for the use of the new operating system being debuted in the activesphere. Called Audi dimensions, the system combines the physical and virtual worlds by displaying digital content in the occupants’ fields of vision in real time. The high-tech headsets provide a view of the real environment and the route, while simultaneously displaying 3D content and interactive elements – individually configurable for drivers and passengers. 

This means all driver-relevant information, such as driving status and navigation, can be displayed. And in the interior, headset users can see control panels and other virtual displays in a tidy, minimalist design that remains hidden to the unaided eye. 

That eye control is used by the passenger to control everything from the temperature and air supply for their seating area with the air conditioning, as well as browse the music selection of the sound system, which each occupant can use individually. The headsets are precisely designed to match the exact geometry of the activesphere’s interior, which means that occupants can even project virtual index cards onto the centre console to visualise access to web content and open up a whole world of connectivity. Since the sensors of the mixed reality headsets measure the interior with millimetre precision, virtual content can be superimposed according to personal requirements and even used for individual interaction.

Of course to make full use of such a vehicle, range and flexibility are paramount. With over 600km of all-electric, emissions-free driving available from its electric drive system, the activesphere has this area well covered too. Electric motors on the front and rear axles of the all-wheel drive Audi activesphere concept together deliver a total output of 325kW and a system torque of 720Nm of torque, powered by a 100kWh battery located between the axles. Featuring 800-volt charging technology can be charged with up to 270kW, meaning just 10 minutes is all that’s required to add enough charge for up to 300km. Charging from 5 percent to 80 percent takes just 25 minutes.

Like the other members of the Audi sphere family, the activesphere concept represents a particular focus, in this case on those leading active, outdoors lifestyles. But that doesn’t mean a compromise in terms of the luxurious finish and appointment for which the brand is so well known. It does offer yet another very appealing view of how future mobility will evolve in the not too distant future, with the idea of dual personality at the heart of the vehicle, allowing the driver to take charge and enjoy the drive, or hand over the controls and use the travel time to plan for the activities ahead.

The technology, both in terms of the drive and the ‘mixed reality’ systems are absolutely cutting-edge, and yet the technology is designed to enhance not only the journey but indeed the whole lifestyle experience.