How Audi will shape sustainable premium mobility

As you know, there are a few obstacles on the road to sustainable mobility. If we as an industry are going to be proactive in avoiding these obstacles, out of the box is the way to think about it.

So, how can we combine the need for mobility and a sustainable attitude towards our natural resources?

Let's start with the underlying political conditions. The Green Deal, as enacted by the EU’s leading industrial nations, aims to make Europe the pioneer for battery electric vehicles. Audi is actively committed to this cause and we support the political efforts to create a more sustainable future. For instance, we are dedicated to the Paris Agreement and want to achieve carbon neutrality. We know that this is necessary from a moral standpoint. But it’s also a smart business decision.

 As I said, there are indeed some obstacles on this road. For example, electric mobility will come at differing speeds globally, even in Europe. This depends on infrastructure, local policies, and the supply of CO2-free primary energy.

So here is our plan:

Step 1: We outstanding cars

 That’s why we keep on diversifying our portfolio in this regard.

We started in 2019 with the Audi e-tron, and this year we’re expanding the family with the GT and Q4. We’re planning to ramp up this effort by 2025 with a wide range of more than 20 fully electric models.

In this way, we will be able to meet the different market speeds of the electric transformation and offer electromobility for different needs.

Step 2: reliable infrastructure

 But there is an even bigger problem. The term “range anxiety” found its way into our vocabulary, and it translates to a fear of inadequate infrastructure. No one drives an electric car if they fear that they will be stranded at some point. Poor charging infrastructure is one of the main reasons not to buy an electric car.

 We need to change that, and we need to provide security. That’s why the whole VW Group will increase the number of fast charging points in Europe five-fold over the next four years. At Audi, we go one step further and provide our own charging solutions to cover premium use cases and peak demand.

What used to be fuel stations will soon be charging hubs. The Audi charging hub consists of flexible container cubes with a charging output of up to 300 kW. The batteries inside the cubes are second-life modules from Audi electric cars. A pilot project in the second half of the year will provide a specific outlook and a practical test for a possible serial roll-out.

Step 3: renewable energy

And yes, the electricity has to come from somewhere, too. So here’s our approach: we’re also partnering with energy providers and aim to build new wind and solar farms in various European countries by 2025. The Audi-funded projects are expected to feed an additional 5 terawatt-hours of green power into the grid by 2025.

The first project is a solar park in Germany with RWE starting next year.

The plant is designed for a total capacity of 170 million kilowatt-hours with 420,000 solar panels. This corresponds to an installed capacity of about 250 new wind turbines.

Our goal is to feed the same amount of green power into the grid that all the electric Audi cars on the road need to drive – based on their average consumption.

 Our vision is clear: We want to become a worldwide provider of carbon-neutral mobility – with electric vehicles and renewable energy sources for charging. We will diversify our portfolio, invest heavily in infrastructure, and team up with energy providers to power our mission. I’m convinced that the expansion of renewable energy sources at an industrial scale is the next step towards carbon-neutral mobility.

 This is our road to be a provider of sustainable premium mobility. We are already on the way, and we are moving fast.