Volkswagen Puts the XL1’s Slippery Shape Back on Public Roads as the Mission Efficiency

Volkswagen unveiled Mission Efficiency today as a near-production electric 2+2 coupe whose entire brief is to waste as little energy as possible. The car is a clear nod to the 2013 XL1, the plug-in hybrid teardrop that once held the title of the most economical production car on sale. This time the powertrain is fully electric, the platform is the same front-drive MEB+ hardware headed for the ID. Polo and ID. Cross, and the claim is a new record for any road-approved car: a drag coefficient of 0.158.

On a 1,278.36 kilometer public-road journey from Wolfsburg, through Poznań and Olomouc down to Vienna, the coupe managed an astonishing 794 miles on a single 54.9 kWh net battery charge, with an average speed of 67.72 km/h, topping out at 138 km/h, and still showed 164 kilometers of range left in Vienna. Official usage for that journey was 6.89 kWh/100 km, with charging losses accounting for a slight increase to 7.51 kWh/100 km. A separate run on the Ehra-Lessien track, with the driver maintaining a steady 68 km/h on level ground and turning off the climate control and other small extras, yielded a very encouraging 6.48 kWh/100 km. These three performances, all recognized in the EV category for near-production four-seaters, are unquestionably records that Volkswagen is very proud of.

The car’s body, which measures 4,775 mm in length, 1,392 mm in height, 1,744 mm in width, 2,700 mm in wheelbase, and has a frontal area of only 2.08 square meters, does the majority of the work. The car’s shape is a long teardrop that tapers off to a sleek boat-tail rear, complete with a rear spoiler that neatly slices the wake and reduces lift. The rear wheels fit snugly beneath complete fairings. The underbody has nearly all of its openings closed. Three active air flaps on the front of the automobile remain fully stationary unless the motor or battery requires additional cooling, at which point they open in five different directions.

The front wheel arches hug the tire radius, and the clever small rim deflectors on the inside face of each wheel prevent air from becoming trapped inside the rims. The outer hubcaps are flat and designed for optimal flow. The door handles are fully flush and release electrically immediately before opening mechanically. The windows have no frames. Not unexpectedly, traditional mirrors remain because the camera housings failed to meet the numbers. Volkswagen believes the fundamental design is responsible for approximately 47% of the aerodynamic advantages, with the covered floor accounting for another 12%. And over 80 km/h, this contraption consumes more than 30% less energy than a conventional ID. Polo; at 140 km/h, it consumes energy at nearly the same rate as the Polo at 100 km/h.

The power comes from the Polo’s APP290 permanent magnet motor, which produces 99 kW and 264 Nm and drives the front wheels via a single-speed gearbox. The unit itself weights 75 kg. The battery is the Polo’s NMC pack with the production longevity buffer removed, resulting in a slightly higher useable capacity of 54.9 kWh. DC charging reaches a max of 105 kW, whereas AC charging reaches just 11 kW. The rear braking is handled by an electromechanical system developed by AUMOVIO, allowing the car to adjust its braking force and recover that energy more cleanly, while the front retains the Polo’s MacPherson suspension and hydraulic design. The tires are Continental EcoContact 7 concepts with a rolling resistance of 4.9 kilos per ton, which is almost 25% lower than the EU’s cut-off for the A label, and the sidewalls and compound are tweaked to waste even less energy as they roll. A 370-watt photovoltaic array integrated between the glass roof and rear hatch powers the 12-volt system and can add up to 30 kilometers of range every day, depending on the time of year, latitude, and weather. Just to be clear, it does not recharge the traction battery.

The cabin choices are all designed with the same minimalist philosophy. Lightweight paneling and one-piece door cards made of recyclable materials, which also happen to have no wiring, are combined with TPU lattice headrests modeled after athletic shoes. Instead of a traditional infotainment screen and built-in speakers, a smartphone or tablet just docks on a rail, while a portable Bluetooth speaker system handles the music. The front space is completely open to new ideas. The rear seats give accommodation for passengers up to 1.60m height and fold down to make a large 1.8m load floor.

The official load capacity is 481 liters, but you can additionally fit some extra bins behind the rear seats, on the side of the body, and behind the rear tyre covers. The body structure is made up of Polo components, a lightweight aluminum frame, and carbon fiber and aramid panels for the hood, roof, and doors. The car has been painted Aero Silver Gray with some Stardust Blue trim and looks rather nice. It already has EU approval and fulfills all of the safety and collision criteria you’d expect from a production model. As for performance, it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in around 9 seconds. The top speed is actually limited to 138 km/h; otherwise, it would become too draggy.