Continental Tires Aided Volkswagen in Achieving Electric Vehicle Efficiency Record
Continental has announced that its specially developed concept tires played a decisive role in Volkswagen's Mission Efficiency concept vehicle setting a certified world record for energy efficiency.
Germany – Continental has stated that its specially developed concept tires were instrumental in Volkswagen's Mission Efficiency concept vehicle achieving a new certified world record for energy efficiency. The vehicle completed a 1,278.36-kilometer journey from Wolfsburg to Vienna with an energy consumption of just 7.51 kWh per 100 kilometers, including charging losses.
The record was officially certified by RID – Rekord-Institut für Deutschland on August 24, 2026. The trip required only one charging stop, and the vehicle had 164 kilometers of range remaining. According to Continental, the tires achieved a rolling resistance of 4.9 kilograms per ton, approximately 25 percent below the threshold for the EU tire label's highest A rating.
Continental highlights that the tires' low rolling resistance is a key factor in increasing the range of electric vehicles. The company estimates that about 20 percent of an electric vehicle's propulsion energy is used to overcome rolling resistance. Therefore, advanced tire technologies, like those used in the Volkswagen Mission Efficiency, can significantly extend the driving distance on a single charge.
The concept tire is based on Continental's EcoContact 7 production tire, which is already standard equipment on the Volkswagen ID. Polo. The Volkswagen Mission Efficiency concept vehicle itself largely utilizes production components, combining enhanced aerodynamics with extremely low rolling resistance for optimal energy efficiency.