VW Prototype Takes EV Efficiency a Notch Higher

Volkswagen is exploring a different way to improve electric vehicle range. Rather than simply installing a bigger battery, the German automaker has developed a prototype that focuses on using less energy from the get-go.

Called Mission Efficiency, the low and streamlined electric car is designed to show how much energy can be saved through better aerodynamics, lighter materials, improved tires and more efficient vehicle systems.

Volkswagen says the prototype has achieved a trio of records in a classification covering near-production, 4-seat electric vehicles designed for daily use. Its most notable number is an outstanding drag coefficient of just 0.158. The company also recorded energy consumption of 6.48 kWh for each 100 kilometers during a controlled test.

The prototype also completed a 1,278-kilometer journey from Wolfsburg in Germany to Vienna in Austria. Volkswagen reported consumption of 6.89 kWh per 100 kilometers when charging losses were excluded. With charging losses included, the figure was 7.51 kWh per 100 kilometers.

However, these figures need some contextualization. Mission Efficiency is a prototype rather than a car that customers can currently buy. Its test conditions were also carefully controlled. For example, one efficiency test was carried out at a constant speed of 68 km/h, without uphill sections and with some electrical systems, including air conditioning, switched off.

Aerodynamics plays a major role in the vehicle’s design. The car has a long, low body, covered rear wheels, a smooth underbody, integrated door handles and active cooling flaps. These features are designed to reduce resistance as the vehicle moves through the air.

Volkswagen says that above 80km/h, the prototype uses more than 30 percent less energy than the standard ID. Polo. This becomes especially important at higher speeds, where aerodynamic drag has a greater effect on energy consumption.

The company has also focused on the wheels and tires. Special wheel designs help control airflow, while low-rolling-resistance tires reduce the amount of energy lost as the tires move along the road.

Under the body, Mission Efficiency combines production-based technology with experimental components. Its 99-kW electric motor and battery technology are related to Volkswagen’s MEB+ production program. The vehicle also uses lightweight aluminum, carbon-fiber and aramid composite materials.

A 370-watt solar system built into the roof and rear deck provides additional power for the car’s electrical systems. Volkswagen estimates that, depending on weather and location, it could contribute up to 30 kilometers of additional range per day.

The prototype is not a promise that this exact vehicle will reach dealerships. Instead, it serves as a testing ground for technologies that could eventually appear in more affordable electric cars.

Mission Efficiency shows that the future of EV range may not depend entirely on larger batteries. By making cars lighter, smoother and more efficient, manufacturers could help electric vehicles travel farther while using less energy.

We could see other tweaks by EV makers like NIO Inc. (NYSE: NIO) being introduced as ways through which electric vehicles are being equipped to use less energy while covering longer distances.

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