Volkswagen channels XL1 for EV hatchback capable of 9mpkWh
The Continental tyres are also slimmed to 155mm wide and pumped up close to the maximum pressure possible – although the alloy wheels are 18in in diameter, just like the Polo’s.
Despite the size increase, the concept is less than 50kg heavier than the ID Polo, at 1.6 tonnes – a subtle weight gain that helps to illustrate how “real world” the car is, VW head of innovation Christoph Riechel told Autocar. Unlike the XL1, the Mission Efficiency was built to be like a “series customer car”, with two rear seats and a spacious, 600-litre boot squeezed into its 4.2m-long frame. The rear wheel covers can even be folded out to reveal small storage boxes, with each big enough to house the car’s charging cables.
The two front seats are based on those of the T-Roc Cabriolet because they are among the lowest-set in the VW Group parts bin, but in the Mission Efficiency they’re made using 3D printing technology to save weight. The dashboard has a removable tablet touchscreen, mounted via a detachable arm, while the driver’s display is recognisable from current ID models.
Notably, there are no screens for a digital rear-view camera, as used in the XL1. “We decided to use conventional mirrors along with unpowered door handles to save energy and enhance efficiency,” said Riechel. “Further boosting efficiency is the solar roof, which is mounted to the panoramic glass above to provide as much as 370W of energy, helping to power the interior’s electronics.”
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