Get ready to hear new names for the successors to the old Audis. The German luxury brand is following a step-change in focus towards an all-electric future, but there will be a learning curve and probably some confusion to get used to a new naming scheme that will use even numbers or odd ones to mean the type of drivetrain. The good news: Audi has new hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and gas or diesel vehicles in the works, as well as the introduction of new electric vehicles. The new vehicles available will come from two separate platforms: Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) for the new ICE vehicles, Premium Platform Electric (PPE) for the new battery electric vehicles.
The new names are an attempt to better distinguish them. In the future, electric vehicles will have even numbers: A4, A6, Q4, Q6, Q8. The successors to the existing ICE models will change to odd numbers: A3, A5, A7. There will be no new ICE nameplates, just the next generations of existing models as Audi moves to electric vehicles over the next decade. Because? It was confusing to have an A6 with a combustion engine and an A6 E-Tron EV, says Oliver Hoffmann, Audi’s board member for technical development. The name change of the successor ICE models makes it clearer what drives them.
There will be transition issues that still need to be worked out, like the A8 that got a mid-cycle refresh and won’t have a successor. It doesn’t make sense to rename the existing Audi A8 as the A9, says Hoffmann. He won’t comment on a Q9 SUV in the works, except to say the platform is capable of large SUVs. Another tricky one is the E-Tron GT which doesn’t have a number to its name and will still be the GT.
Audi is investing about $18 billion in electric vehicles and has pledged to stop producing vehicles with an ICE, even as a plug-in hybrid, by the end of 2030, by which time the automaker expects to sell 3 million of vehicles per year. By 2026, Audi’s all-new vehicles in all segments will be EVs only, with 20 new electrified vehicles available between 2023 and 2027. Today, the electric vehicle lineup consists of eight E-Trons when counting all Q4 and Q8 E. -Derivatives of Tron and the GT. The first dates back to 2018 and this quarter Audi is on track to set a new record for electric vehicle sales.
Audi has 20 new models launched over the next two years, 10 of which will be battery electric, and electric vehicles are expected to account for 30 percent of U.S. sales by 2025. The new Q8 E- Tron that just hit dealerships in North America this month. Looking ahead, here’s what’s next:
2024 Audi Q6 E-Tron and Q6 Sportback E-Tron
As for electric vehicles, the first vehicles on the PPE platform developed with Porsche are the Audi Q6 SUV and the Sportback electric vehicles. They will go on sale in Europe in late 2023 and reach North American shores in 2024.
Marc Lichte, Audi’s head of design, says the beauty of the dedicated EV architecture is that the proportions are pure. “Not a single line was compromised” to fit a conventional powertrain. The Q6 family has a wide track, a long wheelbase and a short overhang. The SUV has a higher seating position and a large greenhouse with vertical A and C pillars. The integrated spoiler is an extension of the roofline. The leaf on the side highlights the heart of the vehicle: the location of the batteries.
The Sportback is almost identical up front, but has a different grille. The Sportback is 1.6 inches flatter and has the roofline of an A7, which means a very different C-pillar. The spoiler is lower, almost parallel to the waistline. Both body styles have the same light strip on the back. Single-engine models will be rear-wheel drive, dual-engine models will provide Quattro all-wheel drive capability.
With a charging capacity of 270kW, Audi says the Q6 can add 186 miles of range in 10 minutes. Total distance on a single charge is 373 miles (WLTP not EPA). The Q6 family features next-generation infotainment and a new electrical architecture for software upgrades.
Audi A6 Sportback E-Tron and A6 Avant E-Tron
The Audi A6 E-Tron family consists of a Sportback sedan and an Avant wagon, and the production versions are arguably even better than the concepts that preceded them. The new A6 family has long hoods and short overhangs. Lichte said the engineers were able to achieve the target aerodynamics without having to chop off the nose or add a long windshield. Adding glass to the windshield or roof doesn’t make sense, in his mind. “We have to maintain luxury proportions with electric vehicles.”
The Avant’s aluminum trim accentuates the wagon’s roofline, extending to the spoiler. Looking at it, it’s not hard to imagine the S6 and RS Avants coming to the States. The Sportback four-door coupe looks stylish with its recessed door handles with a sensor to activate them to open the door.
The A6 E-Trons will be the first models with illuminated rings front and center in most markets, including the US and China, but they are not allowed in Europe. The rear has a single red line for the taillight. The 100kW battery with 270kWh charge capacity should provide up to 435 miles of range (WLTP). Lichte says a massive battery pack is easier to pack into an SUV than a flat-terrain car with a lower ride.
The PPE platform will be used for many E-Tron body styles: sedans, fastbacks, wagons, SUVs and crossovers, starting at midsize. They will be designed and engineered to continue Audi’s heritage of excitement and capability. There will be no ICE successors to the small Audi A1 and Q2 that are sold in Europe and are being phased out. There are plans for new small entry-level electric vehicles, but they may not be for North America. The Audi TT and R8 are in their final model year. There are great concepts for successors, says Hoffmann.
Spheres of electric vehicles
Audi has shown off a number of electric ‘sphere’ concepts. The fourth, the Activesphere, is a four-door, four-passenger coupe with a sportback design. It is on the PPE platform and will be equipped with Quattro AWD. The Volkswagen Group is also adding the Scout brand for more rugged electric SUVs and pickup trucks, which could provide a platform to put the Activesphere into production. No such decisions have yet been made. The concepts weren’t designed as precursors to production models, but design elements, especially the interiors, could be incorporated into other planned models and present a clear vision of the design direction Audi is taking.
There will be successors to existing but odd-numbered ICE models. Audi also had to upgrade its engines to increase efficiency to meet global standards. Here are the first ones to look for:
Audi A5 Sedan and A5 Avant
Under the new naming scheme, the next-generation A4 becomes the A5 and will be offered as a sedan and wagon globally. North America will likely get the base wagon, but could get an Allroad. The A5 family of hybrids and plug-in hybrids will feature 10 engine and transmission combinations with a wide range of performance.
Lichte says the new A5 is the best ICE model yet, with the muscle of an entry-level RS4, with a power dome, short overhang and big wheels. The A5 has the widest and lowest front yet, with a distinct grille and eye-catching LED lighting, an Audi trademark. The greenhouse is outlined with chrome trim. Even with the most extreme fastback, the sedan has more room in the rear than the current A4, partly due to the wider track that is similar to the current RS. Instead of a trunk, it has a short tailgate like a sportback.
The interior has a wide and slim dash. The curved, free-form OLED screen is oriented towards the driver. A second screen for the passenger is well integrated into the dashboard which is made of soft materials.
Audi A7 and S7 Sedan and Avant
The A7 (soon to be renamed A6) family of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and performance models will be offered with eight different engine and transmission combinations when they go on sale in late 2024.
Lichte says the sedan is long and elegant with luxury car proportions that weren’t cut short for aerodynamics. The new A7 has a traditional trunk. The sedan gets illuminated rings at the front, dynamic daytime running lights and the new slim taillight design. The S7 Avant is sportier and faster, with a clean design, flush door handles, a wide track and 21-inch wheels. The US will get the RS Avant, likely as a hybrid for the extra boost.
Inside is a smooth dashboard with the same displays as the A5. The switches for adjusting the mirrors and lights are now to the left of the steering wheel, under the dash, where the armrest rises to meet the dash. Not all decisions have been made on body styles, but North America will likely get a performance Avant and perhaps a lifted Allroad.
