Volkswagen has unveiled the Mission Efficiency, an electric concept car that has set three efficiency and aerodynamic records. The vehicle features a drag coefficient of 0.158, which the company claims is the lowest for any road-legal automobile. The design incorporates active cooling flaps, covered rear wheels, and a boat-tail rear end to optimize airflow.
During a test drive from Wolfsburg to Vienna, the car covered 1,278 kilometers on a single charge with an average energy consumption of 6.89 kWh/100 km. The vehicle is equipped with a 54.9-kWh net battery and the APP290 electric motor, the same hardware used in the ID. Polo. The concept also features integrated photovoltaic panels on the roof and rear hatch that can add up to 30 kilometers of range per day.
The interior focuses on weight reduction by replacing traditional infotainment systems with a smartphone or tablet mount and using a portable Bluetooth speaker. The 2+2 coupe offers 481 liters of luggage space and rear seats suitable for passengers up to 1.60 meters tall. The rear seats can fold down to provide a load floor of up to 1.8 meters in length.
The Mission Efficiency is built on the MEB+ platform. While the concept shares its powertrain with the ID. Polo, engineers narrowed the rear axle by 170 mm to improve aerodynamics. The car uses specially developed Continental EcoContact 7 tires designed for low rolling resistance. VW has not announced plans for a production version of the concept.
