Audi Urbansphere Is a Luxurious, Autonomous Electric Commuter

The third entry in Audi's Sphere series of autonomous  electric concepts is the Urbansphere, which debuted this week.

The six-passenger vehicle is probably best described as a van and is aimed at bringing luxury and space to future commuters stuck in never-ending traffic jams.

The scale is deceptive in photos, but the Urbansphere is a large vehicle, measuring 216.9 inches from bumper to bumper. (Toyota's Sienna, for comparison, is only 204 inches.)

The concept was designed from the inside out, with a focus on delivering the largest interior volume of any Audi model yet.

Leading the way is the Audi Light Canvas, a full-color display that occupies nearly the entire front fascia, which is designed to communicate with pedestrians and other vehicles when operating autonomously.

Extensive use of glass for the roof and large windows makes the already large Urbansphere feel even larger inside.

The headlamps, dubbed the Audi Eyes, have been reduced to narrow slits above the Light Canvas.

The all-electric concept boasts up to 466 miles of estimated range on the generous WLTP cycle. Charging at up to 270 kW, it can go from 5% to 80% charge in around 25 minutes.

Dual electric motors deliver 396 horsepower and 508 pound-feet of torque worth of all-wheel driven performance ensuring confident acceleration even when fully-laden.

Check out our first look at the Audi Urbansphere concept for more details about its luxuriously appointed cabin.