No tech details are currently being released by Audi. But previous reports point to an increase in power and range. Allegedly, the Audi e-tron facelift would come with more efficient motors, an improved energy recovery system, and an upgraded battery pack. The total range could increase to around 373 miles (600 km) in the WLTP cycle. That’s a significant bump over the current e-tron’s 273 miles (440 km).

A rumored Audi e-tron RS will come with a tri-motor setup for a huge performance boost. Before the arrival of the Tesla Model S Plaid, Audi was proudly announcing that it would be the first carmaker to bring a tri-motor electric vehicles to the segment.

Audi e-tron was introduced to the market in 2019 and it was followed by the e-tron Sportback in 2020. But today, Audi is facing new competitors with Mercedes EQE SUV and EQS SUV being a more up-to-date choice, BMW has the iX and iX1. Audi is expected to reveal the e-Tron this year and will continue to be manufactured until 2026. That year, a dedicated electric-car platform shared with other Audi and Porsche electric vehicles will come to market.

[Photos: Audi]

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Details are still scarce, but a teaser photo reveals some sort of autonomous hatchback-shaped pod with an emphasis on relaxed interior design. You can see stylishly sculpted seats but no steering wheel, a hatchback shape, and some sleek looking interior ambient lighting.

Short overhangs and a small cargo area in back are also obvious in the teaser image and considering it’s called the “Urban Sphere” we fully expect it to be some sort of autonomous commuter pod. In video, Audi described the Urbansphere as a “private space in an urban environment.” It outlined the model as being “digital,” “social,” “involving,” and “perfectly centered around you.”

When it debuts, it will be the third and last Sphere concept from Audi, showing off the future of what the brand wants to be and some of the concepts Audi wants to implement in many of its cars in the coming years.

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You can easily tell it’s a concept rather than a production model by the lack of B-pillars while the rear doors are hinged at the back. Fancy ambient lighting with long LED strips creates a cozy atmosphere by surrounding the occupants, while rear passengers benefit from an abundance of legroom. There doesn’t seem to be a steering wheel, which can only mean the Audi Urbansphere will be a fully autonomous EV.

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The Skysphere and Grandsphere have more chances of entering production one day than the Urbansphere as the prospects of an Audi minivan seem slim. After all, parent company Volkswagen is already covering that segment of the market with the hugely promising ID. Buzz. In addition, the minivan segment is far less popular than it was before SUVs began to take over, killing conventional cars in the process.

Even if the Urbansphere won’t hit the streets, we’re quite curious to find out how an electric Audi minivan looks. We won’t have to wait much longer to find out since the debut is scheduled to take place on April 19. Chances are the Four Rings had planned to bring the concept to the Beijing Auto Show, but the organizers have postponed the event indefinitely in the wake of a resurgence in coronavirus cases.

All three concepts are more than just for show taking into account that design cues will be adopted by upcoming production models. We’re specifically talking about EVs since the German luxury brand is gradually abandoning vehicles with combustion engines. In fact, it will launch its last new model with a gasoline/diesel unit in 2025, meaning all products arriving from 2026 will be EVs. By 2033, the production of all ICE-powered Audis will come to an end. However, the Ingolstadt-based marque has not excluded the possibility of extending the assembly of conventionally powered cars beyond that date in China where it expects there still might be demand later in the next decade.

Source: Audi

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Reuters cites a VW Group spokesperson saying the global recall is necessary because of a fire risk. The issue stems from a potentially defective fuse in the drivetrain. In a worst-case scenario, the fuse won’t work as it should when there’s an overvoltage. To fix the problem, technicians will have to install an insulating mat on the battery’s switch box.

No fewer than 16 cases have been reported thus far at home in Germany, prompting the VW Group to issue a global recall. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) regulator, these vehicles suffer from “inadequate fastening of the engine design cover that can lead to contact with hot parts and subsequently to fire.”

Approximately 42,300 VW Golf, Tiguan, Passat, Arteon, and Multivan T7 vehicles are impacted by the recall, while luxury brand Audi must fix 24,400 units of the A3 and Q3. The rest of the vehicles until 100,000 belong to Skoda and SEAT as the mainstream brands from the Czech Republic and Spain also use PHEV tech developed by their parent company. For example, about 22,000 units of the 2021 Octavia and Superb PHEV have been hit with a recall.

Although the VW Group is pressing ahead with its EV agenda, plug-in hybrids remain important. So much so that the next-generation Audi A4 will bring a more advanced PHEV setup courtesy of a bigger battery pack for a longer electric range. Expect future plug-in hybrids from VAG to cover more than 62 miles (100 kilometers) without sipping any fuel. Hopefully, the German automotive giant will learn from its mistakes and won’t repeat them on next-gen electrified cars.

With VW confirming the Golf and Tiguan will live to see a new generation, it tells us PHEVs won’t be discontinued until the end of the decade or even later.

Source: Reuters

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“The PPE platform has a wide range in terms of power output. For me it’s very clear that when we present an electric A6, it has to also include some performance versions of it.” he said. Over the next few years, as Audi introduces new electric vehicles, there will be internal combustion vehicles alongside their EV counterparts. According to Hoffman, Audi Sport’s RS models will do the same.

“This is also the basis for our upcoming RS model line. We will have in parallel our ICE portfolio with performance versions and on the other hand some performance models based on our EV platforms.”

At the heart of the A6 Avant E-Tron concept are two electric motors enabling a Quattro all-wheel-drive system with a combined output of 469 hp (350 kW) and a virtually instant torque of 800 Nm (590 lb-ft). The motors feed on a fairly large 100-kWh battery pack mounted between the axles to enable a more than decent WLTP range of 435 miles (700 kilometers). According to Audi, it can reach 0-62 mph in under four seconds.

But as you can imagine, Audi RS6 e-tron Avant would be even more powerful. So how much will the Audi RS6 e-tron Avant have? It will almost certainly be well over 600 horsepower, with close to 700 lb-ft of torque. It’s gonna need it, too, as all modern Audis seem to be quite heavy.

[Source: Top Gear via QuattroDaily]

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Much like the E-Tron GT sedan, the concept benefits from the 800V technology, therefore enabling fast-charging capabilities of up to 270 kW. That translates to 186 miles (300 kilometers) of range in only 10 minutes of charging. As with all future PPE-based cars, the concept has a completely flat floor layout after taking out the bulky transmission tunnel found in conventionally powered vehicles.

In this new video from Auditography, we get to see all of the A6 Avant e-tron’s details up close. Everything from its digital Matrix headlights and taillights, to its massive pair of false rear diffuser, is on display in this video. More than that, though, you can see all of its interesting design details that are hard to see in photos, such as the sharply creased shoulder line and the muscular rear wheel arches.

The video also shows off the clever light dances that both the headlights and taillights do. Audi’s new digital Matrix LED lights can create an almost infinite number of shapes and patterns, which allows Audi to program in exciting light dances when the car locks and unlocks.

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Audi CEO Markus Duesmann has not ruled out the idea of putting the Four Rings onto a luxury pickup truck. When asked by Autocar about the possibility of a workhorse from Ingolstadt, the top brass said: “I can’t promise that we will do one, but we are looking into it.” While that statement is not much to go by, the head honcho added: “Actually, we will present – not too far from now – maybe something.”

Therefore, we might see a concept luxury pickup truck from Audi in the near future. The only feasible way from a business point of view we can think of would be a high-end version of the next Volkswagen Amarok but with an electric drivetrain. The idea of a Ford-based Audi truck seems odd if we’re being honest. VW has yet to reveal the second-gen Amarok teased here, but we do know it’s going to debut in the coming months. Whether Audi will bring a luxury pickup truck to the market remains to be seen, and we’ll frankly be surprised if it’ll happen. It’s also likely that if it comes to market, the Audi pickup truck would be all-electric. Just like Rivian’s.

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Riding on the same PPE platform shared with the upcoming Audi Q6 E-Tron and Porsche Macan, the A6 Avant E-Tron concept is a gorgeous estate with generous dimensions: 4.96 meters (16.3 feet) long, 1.96 meters (6.4 feet) wide, and 1.44 meters (4.7 feet) tall. That makes it just about as big as today’s A6 and A7 models, suggesting the electric liftback and wagon will eventually go on to replace the ICE-powered vehicles. Even though it’s a big wagon, the concept still has an impressively low drag coefficient of only 0.22 for better aerodynamic efficiency to boost range.

As you would expect from a concept car, the electric wagon rides on massive wheels, measuring 22 inches in diameter. The relatively short overhangs are a sign the A6 Avant E-Tron sits on a dedicated EV platform engineered to maximize the wheelbase to enable a spacious interior and a large cargo area. The pretty wagon signals a future design language the German luxury brand will apply to production models with slim matrix LED headlights and a fancy OLED light bar at the back with the Four Rings illuminated.

Audi’s corporate singleframe grille will survive in the EV era but will obviously switch to a close-off design since there’s no combustion engine under the hood that would require extra cooling. Those tiny cameras used to be a concept-only feature not that long ago, but they’ve recently trickled down to production cars in recent years, including for Audi’s own E-Tron large SUV.

At the heart of the A6 Avant E-Tron concept are two electric motors enabling a Quattro all-wheel-drive system with a combined output of 469 hp (350 kW) and a virtually instant torque of 800 Nm (590 lb-ft). The motors feed on a fairly large 100-kWh battery pack mounted between the axles to enable a more than decent WLTP range of 435 miles (700 kilometers).

Audi touts a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in less than four seconds for the range-topping version, potentially an RS-badged model to (eventually) supersede the RS6 Avant. Much like the E-Tron GT sedan, the concept benefits from the 800V technology, therefore enabling fast-charging capabilities of up to 270 kW. That translates to 186 miles (300 kilometers) of range in only 10 minutes of charging. As with all future PPE-based cars, the concept has a completely flat floor layout after taking out the bulky transmission tunnel found in conventionally powered vehicles.

The engineers from Ingolstadt have fitted the stunning estate with a sophisticated five-link axle tailored to EVs while at the back there’s a multi-link setup. The concept has been envisioned with standard air suspension, and although interior images have not been released, Audi says the A6 Avant E-Tron concept benefits from a roomy cabin with ample legroom for both front and rear occupants.

The first PPE-based Audi will go on sale in 2023 after entering production later this year at home in Ingolstadt. We’re talking about the Q6 E-Tron, with the A6 liftback and wagon likely coming in the following years.

Source: Audi

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This upgrade is applied across the board for Q4 e-tron models. The entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron models; the Q4 e-tron 40 and Q4 e-tron 40 Sportback; use a 51.5 kWh battery pack. While pricier models; Q4 e-tron 45, Q4 e-tron 50, and Q4 e-tron 50 Sportback; get a 76.6 kWh battery. With the new upgrade, the smaller battery models will charge from 5-80 percent SOC (State of Charge) in just 29 minutes. While the larger battery models will go from 5-80 percent SOC in 36 minutes.

The software update improves thermal battery management, to allow faster charging without overheating the battery. Without any mechanical changes, it’s interesting that existing vehicles can’t be updated to feature the same thermal management. As of right now, this update is only for Euro-market cars and won’t come to North American cars. So US Q4 e-tron customers will stay at 125 kW.

[Source: QuattroDaily]

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The upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron, which will be the basis of the aforementioned potential RSQ6, shares its PPE architecture with the upcoming Audi A6 e-tron. Which means that whatever is made for one car will likely migrate over to the other, just as it does with Audi’s current vehicles. It wouldn’t be entirely surprising to see an Audi RS6 e-tron built off the A6 e-tron, as it seems like a natural progression of the model.

But if an Audi RS6 e-tron is on the way, which shape will it take? Will it be a sedan or an Avant (wagon)? What we know so far is that Audi hasn’t announced an A6 e-tron Avant, with the A6 e-tron Concept having only been showed as a sedan. So it’s still pretty much up in the air whether Audi will opt for a sedan or Avant body style. If the RS6 e-tron rumors turn out to be true.

Nonetheless, this news is exciting, as it gets us thinking about an all-electric RS6 e-tron with a monster electric powertrain and the gorgeous styling of the A6 e-tron Concept.

[Source: QuattroDaily]

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