The Audi Skysphere concept is a self-driving electric concept
Is this the future of the luxury car? The new Audi Skysphere concept is an electric two-door convertible that can drive itself and even adjust its length, and it’s an important indicator of what the German brand will bring in the near future.
Its public debut Friday at Monterey Car Week, which is fair because the Skysphere was designed by Audi’s design studio in Malibu, California, just off Monterey’s Pacific Coast Highway.
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The design inspiration for the Skysphere was Audi’s past, particularly the Horch 853 Roadster from the 1930s; Horch was one of the four brands that formed the original Auto Union (hence the four rings) that later became Audi. The idea behind the Skysphere – the first of three pioneering “Sphere” concepts that the brand will introduce in the near future – is to show how the luxury car could develop.
The Audi Skysphere concept was inspired by a Horch Roadster from the 1930s
“New technologies such as electrification, digitization and autonomous driving gave us the opportunity to create an experience that goes far beyond what typical roadsters offer today,” explains Gael Buzyn, Design Project Manager.
But while it relies on the past, the design and technology of the Skysphere is all about the future. For starters, it has a 465kW electric drive, but the Skysphere is also about pushing boundaries, with experimental self-propelled features and its biggest party trick – it can change its size.
According to the company, the length of the Skysphere will change based on the settings you choose. In “Sport” mode, the wheelbase is reduced so that the total length of the vehicle is 4.94 m, and the rear-wheel steering is activated for the maximum driving experience. However, when you switch to the autonomous “Grand Touring” setting, the Skysphere expands to 5.19 m to create more cabin space while you stretch out and relax.
The interior of the Audi Skysphere concept in “Sport” mode
That’s not all in the autonomous “Grand Touring” mode – the steering wheel and pedals can be swiveled away, so you don’t have any controls and have more space to relax (if you’re the type of person who can relax in a car.) without a steering wheel in front of you).
Don’t expect to see a Skysphere in an Audi showroom or even a shape-shifting model anytime soon, but there are elements that can be carried over to production vehicles.
The interior of the Audi Skysphere concept in “Grand Touring” mode
The drive train has an electric motor on the rear axle with an output of 465 kW and 750 Nm torque. Paired with an 80 kWh battery, which gives the Skysphere a theoretical range of 500 km. Interestingly, the batteries for the Skysphere are modular, so they can be positioned in the ideal location for dynamics and packaging, instead of being floor-mounted like a conventional electric vehicle. In the Skysphere, the batteries are positioned behind the cabin with some between the seats for optimal weight distribution.
Audi will be chasing the Skysphere later this year with the Grandsphere, which will supposedly give a preview of what we can expect on the next generation of the A8 sedan. Then we’ll get the Urbansphere in 2022, an SUV preview for the future.