Electromobility: assembly on a new level
With the Q6 e-tron series, Audi is starting series production of the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) in Ingolstadt. The new technology platform, the latest E³ electronics architecture, and in-house battery assembly will open up new fields of activity.
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The Q6 e-tron* marks a significant milestone for Audi. The SUV is the first battery electric model (BEV) on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) and the first electric car to be produced at the Ingolstadt site. Audi boss Gernot Döllner believes this is just the beginning: "The PPE and, therefore, the Q6 e-tron series are the basis for further electric Audi models." Audi wants to achieve this with a holistic, sustainable approach: the 360factory production strategy. The Four Rings is, therefore, modernizing, digitalizing, and transforming its existing plants from the inside out. Since 2024 Audi Ingolstadt has been CO2 neutral* in production. The synergetic production concept significantly contributes to this.
360factory: Production steps using existing structures and processes
“Most of the conversion measures are not visible at first glance, as many of the production processes for the all-electric models on the new PPE have not changed fundamentally compared to the combustion engine,” says Ulrich Polz, who manages the assembly line. “And yet we have made the assembly line fit for the future in recent years with numerous conversion measures.” In line with its 360factory production strategy, Audi focuses on integrating individual production steps into its existing structures and processes.
The assembly starts with the perfect body
To use resources sustainably and synergistically, Audi uses 680 robots to produce the PPE bodies, which are already used to manufacture other Audi models.
The supply chain is becoming more digital and automated
Audi has established a fleet of more than 40 driverless transport systems for the Q6 e-tron series. These take over the provision of materials in the building and automatically supply the body shop's systems with the necessary parts.
A fresh coat of paint in the paint shop
"One highlight is the automatic hole sealing," says Carsten Mohr, head of the paint shop. "After priming, application robots automatically seal around 70 holes in the bodywork with adhesive pads." Employees previously had to carry out this process step manually overhead.
Audi also manufactures the high-voltage batteries at its main plant
In the new battery assembly facility at the freight transport center in Ingolstadt, around 300 employees work daily in three shifts across an area of around 30,000 square meters to assemble up to 1,000 high-voltage batteries for the new PPE models. The facility has an automation rate of almost 90 percent.
On the road to e-mobility: new personnel for the assembly
The Four Rings need new skills to master the transition to electric mobility. To date, Audi has trained 8,300 Production, Technical Development, and Sales employees for the launch of the Audi Q6 e-tron model series in Ingolstadt.
Audi is getting ready for more e-models
The production of the Q6 e-tron* in Ingolstadt marks a milestone on Audi's path to a fully electric future: "By the end of the decade, we will have made all Audi sites fit for the production of electric models," says Gerd Walker, Board Member for Production. “We are using electrification to transform our existing plants comprehensively. With the production of the Q6 e-tron series, the Ingolstadt plant is taking the next step towards the 360factory.”
