Volkswagen Mission Efficiency Prototype Claims 0.158 Drag Coefficient and 1,278 km Single-Charge Range

The prototype's stated mission is to break efficiency records. In a constant-speed test at 68 km/h on flat terrain, with features such as air conditioning deactivated, it consumed 6.48 kWh of energy per 100 kilometers, a figure Volkswagen presents as an energy-efficiency record. Volkswagen also calls the Mission Efficiency the most economical near-production electric car in its class, citing its platform sharing with the ID. Polo.

Volkswagen recently completed a real-world trip from Wolfsburg to Vienna covering 1,278.36 kilometers (794.34 miles) on a single charge of the Mission Efficiency's 54.9 kWh net battery. The car used 6.89 kWh/100 km, or 7.51 kWh/100 km including charging losses, at an average speed of 67.72 km/h. It arrived with 164 kilometers of range remaining.

The shape is central to the results. The Mission Efficiency has a teardrop form and wheel coverings, a covered underbody, frameless windows and flush door handles. According to The Verge, it was designed to move through air molecules with minimal disturbance, not to win design awards or draw crowds at Volkswagen dealerships.

Efficiency increases with speed, the report says. The Mission Efficiency shares its 99 kW front-wheel electric motor, high-voltage battery, aluminum structure and high-strength carbon fiber materials with the ID. Polo. Above 80 km/h, the prototype uses more than 30 percent less energy than the ID. Polo, and at 140 km/h it consumes the same energy as an ID. Polo traveling at 100 km/h.

Where aerodynamics could not be optimized further, Volkswagen cut weight. The paneling is lighter, and the infotainment system is a bring-your-own-device setup: a portable Bluetooth speaker and a smartphone or tablet dock replace a central touchscreen. Integrated solar panels on the roof can supply up to 30 kilometers of added range for auxiliary electronics.

The results do not depend on an exotic motor or battery, according to the report. The Mission Efficiency is essentially a re-bodied ID. Polo supermini, making the records a design challenge as much as a powertrain achievement.

The project reflects broader industry interest in efficiency. The Verge reported that Ford is using design challenges to reduce drag on its new next-generation electric truck, while Mercedes, Audi and Porsche are also focused on aerodynamics. The open questions are what technology will reach production and how consumers will respond to such low-drag shapes.

Editor's Summary

Volkswagen's Mission Efficiency prototype claims a record-low drag coefficient of 0.158 and record energy efficiency, according to The Verge. It completed a 1,278.36-kilometer trip from Wolfsburg to Vienna on a single charge of its 54.9 kWh net battery. The results come from aerodynamic design, weight reduction and shared ID. Polo components, as automakers increasingly pursue efficiency to attract electric vehicle buyers.