Volkswagen Sets Three EV World Records With ID Polo-Based Mission Efficiency

The first record was aerodynamic: the car achieved a drag coefficient of 0.158, which TechRadar described as a new record for road-approved cars. The second came during a controlled "ideal trip" at an average speed of 68 km/h, with air conditioning and similar systems switched off, where average consumption fell to 6.48 kWh/100 km. Volkswagen says the combination makes the modified ID Polo the most economical near-production electric car in its class.

Mission Efficiency is not radically different from the standard ID Polo on sale now. It pairs the entry-level model's 114-hp front-mounted motor with the top-spec version's battery, though usable capacity is raised to around 54 kWh by reducing the pack's safety buffer. The body is longer and lower, the rear axle has been slimmed down, and the underside is completely covered to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Like the 2013 XL1, which exceeded 300 miles per gallon from a small diesel tank, the car has an extreme teardrop-shaped taper at the rear and enclosed rear wheels.

Volkswagen's engineers could have reduced weight further, but the company wanted to keep the vehicle close to production. As a result, it is slightly less than 50 kg heavier than the standard model despite being larger overall. The company removed the digital rear-view camera and other power-drawing accessories to improve efficiency. A solar roof is expected to deliver up to 370 W on a sunny day and help power much of the interior electronics.

TechRadar reported that Christoph Riechel, head of innovation at Volkswagen, told Autocar that elements from the Mission Efficiency, from active air intakes to a removable infotainment tablet, could be pushed into production to reduce weight and increase mileage between charging stops. Riechel also said that during a controlled test at Ehra-Lessien, Volkswagen achieved a range of 821 km, or 510 miles, at an average 68 km/h. That is 227 miles more than the ID Polo's official 283-mile WLTP range.

The project comes as manufacturers often turn to larger battery packs to increase official range and address range anxiety, an approach that can produce larger, heavier and more expensive vehicles. Volkswagen's record run used a real-world model as its starting point, showing how small efficiency improvements can affect overall range. TechRadar said that if Volkswagen implements only half of the learnings from the project, it could see a theoretical range boost of 50 to 100 miles or more without increasing battery size or consumer cost.