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Audi Activesphere EV Concept Unveiled With Strong Cybertruck Vibes & Pickup/Crossover Soul

Despite being joined at the hip to Volkswagen, the peeps at Audi certainly know a thing or two about style. Their latest concept is an outlandish design study with much better cues than the wedge-shaped Cybertruck, the kind of smooth design everyone expects from an EV.
2023 Audi Activesphere Concept 95 photos
Photo: Audi/autoevolution
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The fourth concept in the series isn’t a bonafide truck, but features a rear panel that slides open for access to the cargo area. The German automaker from Ingolstadt does refer to the cargo area as a bed or box, but active back. At the simple touch of a button, the rear panel slides open to make just enough room for goodies for snowboards, skis, or bicycles.

Don’t think for a minute that Audi developed this active back thingy with the intention of putting it into series production. With the rear panel slid open, rain or snow will undeniably make their way into the cargo area of the superb-looking Activshpere. The rear passengers are protected from the elements by means of a power bulkhead.

The active in Activesphere goes beyond the rear end, though. Audi integrated a ski rack in the roof structure, a ski rack that is completely flush in its nominal position. The pickup-crossover melange is 4.98 meters long, 2.07 meters wide, and sits 1.60 meters high.

2023 Audi Activesphere Concept
Photo: Audi
That’s 196, 81.5, and 63 inches over in the United States, and the wheelbase is reassuringly long as well at 2.97 meters or 116.9 inches. For reference, the 2023 model year Audi A7 Sportback offers 2,926 millimeters or 115.2 inches.

Pictured on 22-inch wheels mounted with 285/55 rubber boots designed for off-road shenanigans, the Activesphere features rear-hinged rear doors and a four-seat layout. It’s a little weird to see a tall center console extending from the front to the rear of the vehicle, but then again, concepts are weird like that because they’re not intended for production.

Integrated armrests and headrests also need to be mentioned, together with a squircle steering wheel more squircle than that of the C8 'Vette. Most surprisingly, Audi refrained from installing one too many touchscreens.

In off-road mode, 3D topography graphics are projected onto the landscape, along with sat-nav information. The driver and passengers are further presented with mixed reality headsets, through which the driver and passengers can control the sound system, air con, heating, and more.

2023 Audi Activesphere Concept
Photo: Audi
The question is, what’s hiding underneath the fine-looking exterior and high-tech interior? Not surprising in the least, Audi used the Premium Performance Electric platform for the Activesphere. Developed in collaboration with Porsche, the PPE was designed exclusively for all-electric vehicles.

The first PPE-based Audi is scheduled to be presented before the end of 2023, most likely as a 2024 model. The high-voltage battery in the Activesphere is good for approximately 100 kWh, resulting in more than 600 kilometers (nearly 373 miles) of driving range. The battery can be recharged from 5 to 80 percent in less than 25 minutes at a 270-kW station.

Housed between the front and rear axles, the high-voltage battery powers two electric motors that deliver 325 kW and 720 Nm, as in 436 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. Last but not least, the concept rocks air suspension and adaptive dampers for good road holding and a comfy ride.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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