From 2028 onward, the main Audi plant in Ingolstadt, Germany, will only build electric vehicles. As a result, the electric A6’s replacement will likely be constructed at the main facility rather than in Neckarsulm.
Given that the Ingolstadt facility has not yet manufactured a single electrified vehicle, these plans are rather ambitious. Ingolstadt should produce 50% of all vehicles in just three years that are entirely electric “Only electric vehicles will thereafter be produced in Ingolstadt starting in 2028, an Audi official told Der Spiegel.
The Q6 e-tron will be the first model made in Ingolstadt. The first prototypes are already being produced, according to the spokeswoman for Audi, and series production is scheduled to begin in 2023. The Q6 e-tron is built on the brand-new PPE electric platform, which Porsche will concurrently use to debut the electric Macan replacement.
“The electric E6, the spokesperson continued, will then replace the A6. This is unexpected considering that the A6which is currently in the C8 generationis produced in the Neckarsulm facility of Audi. Therefore, it had previously been expected that the electric version would likewise leave that factory. Given that the production lines for the Q6 e-tron are already being modified for the PPE at the main factory, manufacture in Ingolstadt does make sense. Apart from the A6 model designation, the model has little resemblance to the internal combustion versions produced in Neckarsulm. These might also be utilized by the E6, which is most likely based on the A6 e-tron idea displayed in China.
Less shocking than the information regarding the E6 are Audi’s other revelations: “According to Peter Mosch, head of Audi’s Works Council, the electric replacements for the current A3 and A4 combustion engines will be available by 2029. However, he did not say on what platform these electric versions will be based.
In June 2021, Audi announced that, with the exception of the Chinese market, it will only introduce new models starting in 2026 with pure electric drive and would gradually stop producing internal combustion engines by 2033.
While the Audi facility in Brussels is already all electric
Since 2018, the e-tron quattro has been produced there, and it has been revealed that Ingolstadt will follow suit with the manufacturing of the Q8 e-tron PPE SUV. For Neckarsulm, no such detailed plans have yet been made public, but given Audi’s aspirations, this should happen shortly. According to the spokesperson, by the middle of the decade, “In time, Neckarsulm will also house all-electric vehicles. The E6 second generation should thus be included in this.
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If so, will it be all electric?
Audi plans to sell 30 electrified models worldwide by 2025, 20 of which will be all-electric cars. The brand’s global commitment to a cleaner, more electric future is demonstrated by this ambitious goal.
The Audi Q5 TFSI e, A7 TFSI e, and A8 TFSI e plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), as well as the e-tron all-electric SUV and future e-tron Sportback, are already available in the United States. The Audi Q4 e-tron SUV and the e-tron GT performance sedan, which have already been displayed as concept cars, will then be introduced.
Four distinct platforms will be used to construct the forthcoming all-electric Audi vehicles, balancing performance, efficiency, usability, and the engineering and workmanship that have come to be associated with the Audi name. The four architectures that will support vehicles of all sizes, including automobiles, SUVs, and minivans, are described in full below.
The 1980s’ original Audi quattro model’s straightforward moniker was “quattro for its ground-breaking all-wheel-drive system. similar to, the “The Audi brand’s e-tron name teases a variety of electric vehicle (EV) drivetrain technology. The Audi e-tron SUV, which began sales in the United States in May 2019, is the first entirely electric SUV. It combines Audi excellence with electric mobility: Maximum comfort, an advanced drive and recovery system, and all-wheel drive. In terms of quality, effectiveness, and execution, it is a genuine Audi product.
Produced in a certified CO2-neutral facility in Brussels, Belgium, with a 398,264 sq ft rooftop solar array large enough to charge over 30,000 e-tron SUVs or produce about 3,000 MWh annually
The modular longitudinal platform (MLB evo), which serves as the foundation for a variety of Audi vehicles, is the foundation upon which the e-tron is built. The e-tron is around the same size as an Audi Q8 and has a wheelbase that measures 115.3 inches, placing it between the Audi Q5 and Q7 SUVs in terms of size. Up to 95 kWh of energy can be stored in the high-voltage battery, which can also recover up to 30 percent of the energy needed to propel the car when applying regenerative braking. The e-tron uses brake-energy regeneration in the majority of situations, relying on its hydraulic brake booster. The transition from regen to hydraulic braking is essentially undetectable when using a brake pedal simulator.
Two asynchronous electric motors (ASM) that may generate up to 402 horsepower are included inside the e-tron. Additionally being developed is a three-motor, more potent model with fully independent rear torque vectoring.
The e-tron can scan sensor data 10,000 times per second and output current levels for the electric motors to help with traction in a variety of situations thanks to a power electronics module made by Audi. The e-rear-biased tron’s quattro all-wheel-drive system allows it to quickly shift torque to wheels with traction if it detects a loss of grip.
The Audi e-tron is capable of charging with both direct (Level 3) and alternating (Level 1 and 2) current, and it can charge to about 80% of its capacity in 30 minutes at a 150 kW high-speed public charger. A new model with a coupe-like silhouette, the e-tron Sportback, will join the e-tron later in 2020.
The Audi e-tron GT performance sedan, which has only been displayed as a concept car, illustrates how sports cars may change in the electric age. Audi is collaborating with Porsche, which created the J1 architecture, on the e-tron GT.
Two permanently excited synchronous motors (PSM) that generate a combined 582 horsepower and 612 lb-ft of torque are installed in the Audi e-tron GT concept car. A PSM features a rotor that contains permanent magnets and an internal magnetic field that exists naturally. A PSM is referred to as a permanently excited synchronous motor because the rotor moves in sync with the magnetic field of the stator, which is the fixed component of the motor. In contrast, the rotor of an asynchronous motor rotates more slowly than synchronous speed.
The e-tron GT concept is predicted to achieve 62 mph from a stop in 3.5 seconds and 124 mph in just over 12 seconds in production form, though the e-tron GT’s specifications are subject to change.
The e-tron GT concept car’s electrical system operates at 800 volts, compared to the current standard for most modern EVs of 400 volts or less. The J1 platform’s energy management and cooling mechanisms enable it to withstand this level of force, which is measured in volts in an electric circuit. As a result, the e-tron GT can charge the battery to 80% capacity at a Level 3 DC fast charger with a maximum output of 350 kW in around 20 minutes.
With recesses in the rear footwell and placement in the underbody, between the axles of the e-tron GT, the battery provides comfort for both front- and back-seat occupants. The e-tron GT uses the same multi-material construction methodology as other Audi vehicles like the A8, with its body and roof built of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).
The e-tron GT boasts quattro all-wheel drive with electric motors at the front and rear axles, providing optimal traction for a sports car in conjunction with the low center of gravity. The drive management controls each wheel separately and distributes the electric motors’ torque between the axles as necessary.
Numerous suspension and performance modifications, such as all-wheel steering or a sport differential, are possible thanks to the arrangement, which enhances traction and vehicle dynamics. In manufacturing versions, electric motors with various outputs might be utilized.
To understand how Audi uses the modular electric toolbox (MEB) architecture, it helps to think about the company’s present lineup of internal combustion automobiles.
The A3 and Q3, two compact gas-powered Audi vehicles that act as entry-level models for the company, share parts on a platform known as MQB. On the MLB platform, larger Audi vehicles like the A4 up to the A8 and SUVs share parts. This aids engineers in creating parts that may be used in a variety of vehicles and share a similar philosophy. The MEB platform will serve Audi’s needs for small and medium-sized EVs, while the PPE platform will be used for larger EVs.
Audi will use the MEB platform to capitalize on the strengths of the Volkswagen Group to provide customers with reasonably priced yet technologically advanced electric cars that are unmistakably Audi. The Q4 e-tron and other vehicles will be built on the MEB platform. Customers will receive all the benefits that tiny electric motors and lithium-ion batteries in various sizes and capacities offer thanks to MEB, which is designed specifically for EVs. A technology toolbox is made up of battery systems, electric motors, and axle designs. The front portion is significantly shorter than current models with combustion engines, and the front axle and firewall are moved forward, resulting in a significantly longer wheelbase and more usable interior space.
With outward dimensions similar to those of the Q3 and inside dimensions of a much larger vehicle, the Q4 e-tron is anticipated to be the first Audi product built on the MEB platform. Additionally, the architecture provides new design possibilities, as well as various performance levels and powertrain choices.
The Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture is what the MLB platform is to Audi’s lineup of electric vehicles, which includes the A4 through A8 and Q5 through Q8.
The project team for PPE and Porsche have been working together to create and develop PPE since the beginning, sharing office space in Ingolstadt. PPE is distinguished by a high-tech, highly scalable architecture that supports low- and high-floor vehicles, including SUVs, Sportbacks, Avants, and crossovers in the medium-size class and higher. Audi will be able to create and market one of the best trifectas of electric, plug-in, and internal combustion vehicles on the international markets thanks to its portfolio and flexibility.
PPE’s technology is comparable to MEB’s, and it will come with a variety of engine and battery options. The higher-range variants will have a second electric motor (PSM or ASM) at the front axle that can automatically engage quattro all-wheel drive when necessary. Standard packaging will only allow for one electric motor in the rear.
The electrical design is 800 volts, just like in the Audi e-tron GT concept, and when combined with high-efficiency thermal management, it allows for a 350 kW ultra-high-speed charging capability. The low-floor Audi vehicles on the PPE platform will have slightly shorter dimensions and overhangs than the existing combustion engine versions on the MLB platform, but they will have larger interiors. There will be options for torque vectoring, air suspension, and all-wheel steering.
In an effort to fulfill demand as infrastructure across the world quickly grows, the Audi brand has committed roughly 12 billion in global investment through 2024 to help assure development of a number of EVs. By 2025, Audi expects to have produced about 800,000 electric vehicles annually worldwide.
Audi and the entire Volkswagen Group are giving electrification and more sustainable mobility their full attention as a result of the Volkswagen Group’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement’s objectives and its aims to become a CO2-neutral automaker globally by 2050. The aforementioned platforms can ensure that the Group makes every effort to meet its challenging objectives.
This information is provisional and is subject to change, including any car specs.
Various variables, such as the ambient temperature, the type of charger, the state of the battery, the condition of the vehicle, and others, will affect how long it takes to charge an object.
Based on EVs sold in the US through March 2020, it is claimed that the majority of EVs have 400-volt or lower design.
When will Audi switch to electric vehicles?
Audi officially announced in March of this year that it was ceasing all development of internal combustion engines in favor of a wholly electric vehicle-focused strategy. The company’s board chairman Markus Duesmann later announced to German media that starting in 2026, all new Audis would be electric. The schedule for the phase-out of internal combustion engines was also reaffirmed today with the announcement that “new Audi models will be all-electric starting in 2026, and combustion engine manufacture will finish in 2033.”
The proposal was unveiled as part of Audi’s new Vorsprung 2030 credo, which outlines the company’s plans to produce automobiles in a more sustainable manner. The focus shifts from the phase-out of combustion to seeking out those incredibly hot automotive buzzwords, or “synergies,” that will aid the brand in shifting its primary source of revenues from combustion car sales to electric.
Audi’s chief strategist Silja Pieh, together with roughly 500 other personnel from innovation and major markets, including China and the United States, worked on Vorsprung 2030.
The good news is that there will soon be more E-trons. However, Vorsprung 2030 also includes efforts to distinguish Audi’s EVs from those of rivals and other VW brands. Currently, the Porsche Taycan’s core technology is used in all E-tron vehicles. In order to create a distinctive Audi feel, Audi plans to consider future aspects such as “steering angle requirements, hand torque, and acoustics.”
It goes without saying that changing a firm will cost money. “We must and will indeed free up the proper financial resources to address a transition such as the one Audi is presently facing,” said Jrgen Rittenburger, member of the board for finance and legal affairs. The only way to guarantee our long-term viability and competitiveness is to do this.
That entails things like ending Formula E’s enjoyment and a corporate hunt for more intelligent methods to conduct business. Or, as it appears we must do now, “synergies.”
If that’s not exciting, perhaps the future emphasis on Audi maintaining its Vorsprung and seeking to offer distinctively Audi driving experiences will be.
Is Audi moving to electric vehicles?
2019 saw the start of production for Audi’s first fully electric, series-produced car marketed in the United States: the e-tron SUV. The goal of Audi of America is for one-third of its lineupvehicles built on four different architecturesto be electrified by 2025. the MLB evo SUV platform, the tiny MEB platform, the midsize and large PPE platform, the J1 sports vehicle platform created with Porsche, and others.
Audi, though, is not wholly new to electric vehicles. The following are a few highlights of the brand’s electric history:
- 1989 Concept Audi 100 Avant dual hybrid
- Conceptual hybrid Audi 100 Avant quattro pair II from 1991
- Limited-production 1997 Audi A4 Avant pair for the European market
- Audi e-tron sports car designs for 2009 to 2013
- hybrid 2011 Audi Q5
- Audi’s R18 e-tron quattro, which competed in endurance racing from 2012 to 2016, won three 24 Hours of Le Mans overall triumphs and a total of 13 overall victories over its 18-year career.
- 2013Audi started developing its electric vehicle strategy and detailing the e-tron SUV.