{"id":8201,"date":"2026-10-22T06:21:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T06:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1278-km-drive-3\/"},"modified":"2026-10-22T06:21:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T06:21:15","slug":"continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1-278-km-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1-278-km-drive\/","title":{"rendered":"Continental Concept Tyre Helps VW Mission Efficiency Achieve 7.51 kWh\/100km World Record on 1,278 km Drive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A Volkswagen concept vehicle set a world record for EV energy efficiency on August 24, 2026, consuming just 7.51 kWh\/100 km \u2014 including charging losses \u2014 on a certified 1,278.36 km drive from Wolfsburg to Vienna. Continental supplied a specially developed concept tyre that the company says was a decisive factor in achieving the result, with rolling resistance of 4.9 kg\/tonne \u2014 roughly 25% below the threshold for the EU tyre label&#8217;s highest class A rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The record, which required only one charging stop and concluded with 164 km of remaining range, was officially verified by RID \u2014 Rekord-Institut f\u00fcr Deutschland. The concept vehicle is described by Volkswagen as the world&#8217;s most efficient near-production electric car, and was driven under real-world conditions rather than controlled laboratory settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-car.jpg\" alt=\"Volkswagen Mission Efficiency concept vehicle, which set a world record for EV efficiency on Continental concept tyres\" class=\"wp-image-8181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-car.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-car-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-car-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-car-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-car-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: Continental<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">\u2630<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ada9999e56f4\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ada9999e56f4\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1-278-km-drive\/#Why_Rolling_Resistance_Matters_for_EV_Range\" title=\"Why Rolling Resistance Matters for EV Range\">Why Rolling Resistance Matters for EV Range<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1-278-km-drive\/#What_Makes_the_Concept_Tyre_Different\" title=\"What Makes the Concept Tyre Different\">What Makes the Concept Tyre Different<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1-278-km-drive\/#Key_Numbers_at_a_Glance\" title=\"Key Numbers at a Glance\">Key Numbers at a Glance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1-278-km-drive\/#Production_Context_EcoContact_7_and_the_ID_Polo\" title=\"Production Context: EcoContact 7 and the ID. Polo\">Production Context: EcoContact 7 and the ID. Polo<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/continental-concept-tyre-helps-vw-mission-efficiency-achieve-7-51-kwh-100km-world-record-on-1-278-km-drive\/#What_This_Means_for_EV_Drivers\" title=\"What This Means for EV Drivers\">What This Means for EV Drivers<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Rolling_Resistance_Matters_for_EV_Range\"><\/span>Why Rolling Resistance Matters for EV Range<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tyre rolling resistance accounts for around 20% of EV propulsion energy. Every revolution causes the tyre to deform slightly where it contacts the road, consuming energy that would otherwise contribute to vehicle range. The lower the rolling resistance, the further a car travels on the same battery charge \u2014 making tyre development one of the few areas where significant range gains remain possible without enlarging the battery pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The record shows that increasing the range of electric cars does not necessarily require larger batteries,&#8221; said Dr. Christian Str\u00fcbel, Continental&#8217;s expert in rolling resistance for passenger-car tyres. &#8220;Together with Volkswagen, we&#8217;ve demonstrated what&#8217;s possible when vehicle, aerodynamics and tyre development are aligned from the very beginning.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Makes_the_Concept_Tyre_Different\"><\/span>What Makes the Concept Tyre Different<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept tyre is based on Continental&#8217;s production <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetirelab.com\/mag\/?p=8179\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EcoContact 7<\/a>, which already offers low rolling resistance in its standard form. For the world record attempt, it was modified to reduce energy losses further. Two areas received particular attention: the sidewall and the tread compound. The sidewall follows the same design principle as the EcoContact 7, providing structural stability without increasing rolling resistance. The tread compound was specifically tailored to work in concert with the carcass and tread pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A novel manufacturing process also contributed to the result. Continental used differential vulcanisation \u2014 heating different parts of the tyre to different temperatures during the curing stage. The tread, for example, was cured at a different temperature from the sidewall, allowing the properties of each zone to be optimised independently. According to Continental, this results in lower rolling resistance in the tread specifically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-mission-efficiency-tire-closeup.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of Continental concept tyre with low rolling resistance developed for the Volkswagen Mission Efficiency record attempt\" class=\"wp-image-8182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-mission-efficiency-tire-closeup.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-mission-efficiency-tire-closeup-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-mission-efficiency-tire-closeup-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-mission-efficiency-tire-closeup-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-mission-efficiency-tire-closeup-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: Continental<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Rolling noise reduction was also built into the design. The tread pattern uses varied block spacing and angles so that sound waves generated at different blocks partially overlap and cancel each other out \u2014 a principle similar to noise-cancelling headphones, according to the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Numbers_at_a_Glance\"><\/span>Key Numbers at a Glance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>Value<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>Energy consumption (incl. charging losses)<\/td><td>7.51 kWh\/100 km<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Energy consumption (excl. charging losses)<\/td><td>6.89 kWh\/100 km<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Route distance<\/td><td>1,278.36 km (Wolfsburg\u2013Vienna)<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Charging stops<\/td><td>1<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Remaining range at destination<\/td><td>164 km<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Concept tyre rolling resistance<\/td><td>4.9 kg\/metric ton<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>vs. EU label class A threshold<\/td><td>~25% below<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Record certified by<\/td><td>RID \u2013 Rekord-Institut f\u00fcr Deutschland<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Certification date<\/td><td>24 August 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Continental press release<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Production_Context_EcoContact_7_and_the_ID_Polo\"><\/span>Production Context: EcoContact 7 and the ID. Polo<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Continental notes that the concept tyre used in the record attempt is not currently available as a production product. The EcoContact 7, on which it is based, is already one of the lower-rolling-resistance options in the market \u2014 it has recently been approved as original equipment for several electric vehicles, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetirelab.com\/mag\/?p=8179\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Volvo EX60<\/a>. Continental also supplies original-equipment tyres for the production Volkswagen ID. Polo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Continental has separately pursued <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetirelab.com\/mag\/continental-zevra-concept-tyre-uses-43-recycled-materials-and-achieves-top-eu-rolling-resistance-rating-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">concept-tyre research with high recycled-material content<\/a>, pointing to a broader effort to explore what is achievable beyond current production constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-side.jpg\" alt=\"Side view of Volkswagen ID. Mission concept vehicle fitted with Continental efficiency tyres\" class=\"wp-image-8183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-side.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-side-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-side-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-side-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/continental-vw-mission-efficiency-side-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: Continental<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_This_Means_for_EV_Drivers\"><\/span>What This Means for EV Drivers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The demonstration highlights a practical point for anyone purchasing an EV: tyre choice has a measurable impact on real-world range. Production tyres with EU label class A rolling resistance are already commercially available and represent the highest category in the current labelling system \u2014 but the concept tyre&#8217;s 4.9 kg\/ton figure suggests there is technical headroom beyond that. Whether differential vulcanisation or similar processes migrate to production tyres, and on what timeline, Continental has not stated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Volkswagen concept vehicle set a world record for EV energy efficiency on August 24, 2026, consuming just 7.51 kWh\/100 km \u2014 including charging losses \u2014 on a certified 1,278.36 km drive from Wolfsburg to Vienna. Continental supplied a specially developed concept tyre that the company says was a decisive factor in achieving the result, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[204,31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-continental","category-novinky"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8201"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8202,"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8201\/revisions\/8202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/padangoslab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}