Prototype vehicles are always an interesting bag of futuristic design mixed with features that may make it to mainstream vehicles in future iterations.
Keeping with that tradition is what Volkswagen claims is the world’s most efficient near-production electric vehicle (EV).
Claiming to be the most efficient something, especially in automobiles, is an interesting claim because it begs the question — efficient in what regard?
In VW’s case, the prototype, dubbed Mission Efficiency, purportedly holds three world records:
- A drag coefficient of 0.158 — an aerodynamic achievement.
- Consumption of 6.48 kWh/100 km during optimum conditions.
- 7.51 kWh/100 km on a real 1,278 km road trip — Wolfsburg to Vienna with just one charging stop.
“Rather than using specialist technology, the vehicle set its three world records using affordable production technology from the ID. Polo and ID. Cross, based on MEB+, which is VW's MEB+ modular electric platform, with front-wheel drive,” said Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, head of the Brand Group Core and member of the Group Board of Management. “This shows how much potential efficiency we can add to the latest generation of our electric cars.”
