Volkswagen has given us a pretty dramatic demonstration of just how efficient its next generation of electric cars could become, revealing a concept called Mission Efficiency that has set three new records while using much of the same technology as the new Volkswagen ID. Polo.
The two-door, 2+2 coupé is based on Volkswagen’s new front-wheel-drive MEB+ electric-car platform and uses the same 54.9kWh battery and 133bhp electric motor as the ID. Polo. But a huge amount of work has gone into cutting drag and weight, helping Mission Efficiency achieve an extraordinary drag coefficient of just 0.158.
Volkswagen says that makes it more aerodynamic than any other vehicle yet approved for road use, while the Record Institute Germany has recognised three records in its category for a near-production four-seat electric vehicle suitable for everyday use.
One of those came during what Volkswagen describes as an ideal efficiency run, with the car travelling at a constant 42mph, with no uphill sections and things such as the air-conditioning switched off. It managed the equivalent of 9.6 miles/kWh.
More relevant was a 794-mile drive from Volkswagen’s research and development centre in Wolfsburg, through Poland and the Czech Republic and on to Vienna. Mission Efficiency averaged 42mph, reached speeds of up to 86mph and returned 9.0 miles/kWh without charging losses, or 8.3 miles/kWh with them included. The battery only needed charging once during the trip and the car still showed 102 miles of range when it reached Vienna.
There’s a good reason for finishing the journey there, too. Volkswagen launched the ID. Polo in Vienna, and Mission Efficiency is intended to show what can be achieved with much of the same underlying technology.
Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer said: “The Mission Efficiency is the best answer to the question of what sets Volkswagen apart in the electric era: technology for everyone – not just for the few.
“The vehicle achieved its three world records not with highly specialised technology, but with affordable production technology from the ID. Polo and ID. Cross, based on the MEB+ platform with front-wheel drive.”
The slippery shape does much of the hard work. Mission Efficiency is 4,775mm long but only 1,392mm high, with a long teardrop-style tail, enclosed rear wheels, a fully covered underbody and active cooling flaps at the front that stay closed whenever the car doesn’t need extra cooling. Volkswagen says that above 50mph its energy-consumption advantage over the ID. Polo is more than 30 per cent.
There are some more unusual ideas, too. A 370W solar system built into the glass roof and boot lid can power some of the car’s electrical systems and, depending on the weather and time of year, Volkswagen says it could add up to around 19 miles of range per day.
Inside, weight saving continues with no conventional built-in infotainment screen. Instead, Volkswagen’s “Bring your own device” idea lets drivers use their own phone or tablet, while even the usual speakers have been replaced by a portable Bluetooth unit. There’s still a small separate display for basic driving and air-conditioning information.
Despite looking like something built purely to chase records, Mission Efficiency hasn’t been turned into a one-seat science project. There are two small rear seats, intended for passengers up to around 1,600mm tall, plus a useful 481l boot. Fold the rear seats and the load area stretches to 1,800mm long.
Mission Efficiency itself remains a concept, but Volkswagen’s point is that much of what sits underneath it isn’t. The motor, battery, front axle and a number of other components come from the ID. Polo, making the record-breaking car as much a preview of where future Volkswagen EV efficiency could be heading as an engineering exercise.
