It’ll mark the beginning of one of Audi’s most radical and innovative eras to date.
By Chris Chin
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Audi is looking to seriously up its game in the entry-level EV sedan space, mainly with a focus on technology. According to Britain’s AutoCar, the Ingolstadt-based automaker is working double time to innovate and lead the way for what’s basically an all-electric A4.
More details about Audi’s effort coincidentally surfaced just as Tesla revealed its most affordable offering yet, the Model 3 Standard. The latter now boasts a starting price of just under $40,000, making it the cheapest Tesla yet.
But with the electric vehicle wars still trudging forward, the German premium brands are still looking to be at the forefront of the movement. At least, in terms of veteran automakers.
Despite companies like Audi and its parent company, Volkswagen AG, pumping the brakes on EVs, they’re still keeping them on the table.
As such, this supposed next-gen A4 EV will represent some of the “biggest change(s) in the history of the company,” according to CEO Gernot Döllner.
It’ll start with the company’s latest “Radical Next” design philosophy, which debuted with the recent Concept C sports convertible. According to AutoCar, the Concept C will heavily influence the A4 EV’s styling. The next-gen TT will also share various details and styling cues.
The “Radical Next” design language also designates the company’s overall next-generation product strategy. It’s essentially Audi’s equivalent to BMW’s inbound Neue Klasse strategy.
To that note, Döllner is promising that Audi’s next-gen vehicles will feature “more interesting product.” He also expressed optimism in the wake of the tumultuous past several years, noting that his team “would not have expected 2025 to be as tough as it is.”
Audi’s been one of the first major brands to hop on the EV train. But after a lukewarm reception and market, their investments haven’t entirely paid off. As such, the automaker and even VW were forced to pivot back to ICE technology and rework their entire near-term product plan.
“I’m quite positive looking [ahead] to the next years, with a completed model line-up by the end of 2026,” he told AutoCar.
While an all-electric A4 has been rumored to be in the works, details never really surfaced until now. But none of it really comes as a surprise.
As expected, the new sedan will utilize Volkswagen AG’s latest SSP modular EV architecture. It’s the same platform that the automaker’s been touting over the last several years after heavily investing several billions into it.
Initial plans were to primarily focus on an all-electric midsize model first, or basically an A6 E-tron. But when asked about a more affordable model, Döllner admitted that an electric A4 would be equally as important for the brand.
“We have the A6 E-tron that’s positioned in a ‘middle segment’ and addresses a lot of customers from the A4 segment – but you’re right that an electric A4 is definitely a focus field for Audi,” he told reporters.
Although Döllner officially acknowledged that an A4 E-tron is in the works, he also shared that it won’t be ready until 2028.
That’s because the model will utilize the new SSP platform versus the current A6 E-tron’s use of Volkswagen AG’s PPE platform. Porsche jointly developed the latter with Audi and it currently underpins the Macan EV and the A6 E-tron and Q6 E-Tron.
With direct rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz promising up to 500-mile ranges, Audi saw the importance to use the company’s latest tech.
Another way Audi seeks to innovate in the space is with interior tech. Not too long ago, Volkswagen AG teamed up with Rivian in a joint-venture to co-develop in-car vehicle technologies.
That joint-venture will also heavily influence the overall driver experience for many of Audi’s new vehicles.
“It’s 2028 when we’ll see [the Rivian software] in the market. We are heavily working on it with the Rivian-Volkswagen joint venture, building up mules right now and working intensively together, so the first cars are already on their way,” Döllner continued.
Döllner further explained that the new Rivian-based tech will debut in Audi’s first two new “Radical Next” vehicles. But he stopped short of specifying which models.
However, from this latest update, circumstantial evidence points at the A4 E-tron as being one of them.
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