Audi Announces Digital Initiatives for EVs

German premium carmaker Audi on Monday announced a slew of digital initiatives, days before the launch of its luxury electric SUVs e-tron which will mark the company's entry into the rapidly-growing domestic electric vehicle (EV) space. The carmaker is set to roll out e-tron 50, Audi e-tron 55 and Audi e-tron Sportback 55 in the Indian market on July 22. The bookings for the Audi e-tron had commenced from June 29 for an initial amount of Rs 5 lakh.

The digital solutions will help customers be informed about the current charge available, the range that can be covered keeping real-time driving conditions in mind, and the distance to the nearest compatible charging station, in case a charge is needed, among others, the company said in a statement.

The carmaker said all these initiatives will be available on the mobile app, 'myAudi Connect'.

"Customer centricity is integral to our strategy. In line with this, we are offering several digital solutions for our EV customers to make their ownership experience, hassle-free and enjoyable," said Balbir Singh Dhilon, head of Audi India.

The digital, customer-centric solutions include a savings and range calculator, charging time calculator, Audi e-tron Hub, e-tron on Audi Shop, digital retail, and a state-of-charge relay.

"Our digital solutions will help customers be informed about the current charge available, the range that can be covered keeping real-time driving conditions in mind, and the distance to the nearest compatible charging station, in case a charge is needed.

"In additon, the 'myAudi Connect' app has a dedicated Audi e-tron Hub that gives complete access to guides on Audi e-tron basics like setting up the charging equipment, setting recuperation levels and learning how to maximize range on your Audi e-tron," he said.

With solutions like these, Audi India aims to eliminate range anxiety and make this EV journey a memorable one, Dhillon added.

As part of these initiatives, the owners also get access to 24X7 roadside assistance through one click on the 'myAudi Connect' app in the unlikely event of them needing mechanical assistance or intervention. There is also 24*7 WhatsApp support available, it stated.

The EV owners will get a complete repository about the e-tron including comprehensive and short video guides on the SUV's basics like setting up the charging equipment, recuperation levels and learning how to maximise range (distance) on all aggregated in one tab while via the 'myAudi Connect' app. They can also get a reference to all the charging stations compatible with e-tron, it said.

Customers can visit their nearest Audi India dealership to experience the Audi augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as well ,it said.

The company added that a road map feature on the myAudi Connect will have a relay of the current charge level of the e-tron along with distance-to-empty.