Volkswagen Mission Efficiency REVEALED as the electric offspring of the Volkswagen XL1

The Volkswagen Mission Efficiency is revealed as an extreme aero take on the ID.Polo; an EV take on the 2013 VW XL1.

Back in 2013, when diesel-engined cars ruled the world and no one had any idea ‘Dieselgate’ was on the horizon, VW set out to show just how efficient a diesel-engined hybrid could be by creating the VW XL1, complete with advanced and extreme aero, electric help for the small diesel engine and a drag coefficient of 0.189

Now, VW is back with a concept dubbed the Mission Efficiency, which is effectively an EV reboot of the XL1.

Based on the underpinnings of the VW ID. Polo, although much longer and lower, the Mission Efficiency manages to use much of what underpins the Polo, with a 55kWh battery powering a 133bhp electric motor and the same front suspension as the Polo.

Just like the XL1, the ‘ME’ comes with a teardrop design with a small front end, many cooling air flaps, covered rear wheels (which also house a bit of storage), frameless doors and integrated handles, all conspiring to make the ME as slippery as possible and culminating in a drag coefficient of 0.158.

All this has seen VW deliver an efficiency of 9.59mpkWh at a constant 42mph, and a still very impressive 8.27mpkWh on a real-world 794-mile trip from Wolfsburg through Poland and the Czech Republic, ending in Vienna, at proper road speeds.

Thomas Schäfer, VW CEO, said:

Mission Efficiency is the ideal way to demonstrate what distinguishes Volkswagen in the electric age: technology for the masses – not just for the few. 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 the MEB+ platform with front-wheel drive. This shows how much potential efficiency we can add to the latest generation of our electric cars.

Unlike the VW XL1, which had a limited edition run of 200 at almost £100k each (£143k now), there are no plans to do something similar with the Mission Efficiency.