Fuel-sipping VW XL1 unveiled
Volkswagen's mission to create a super fuel-efficient production car takes another step forward with its new XL1 two-seater prototypeThe world's third largest car company has taken the wraps off a new two-seater eco car concept with gullwing doors, that uses less than one litre of fuel per 100 kilometres travelled.
Unveiled at the Qatar Motor Show, the Volkswagen XL1 prototype furthers the German company's push for an ultra efficient combustion engine car, which started almost nine years ago and was boosted in 2009 with the L1.
Powered by a twin-cylinder 800cc turbodiesel-electric engine and electric motor that outputs a combined total of 55kW, the XL1 has a claimed fuel economy rating of just 0.9L/100km while emitting 24 grams of CO2 per kilometre. It uses a seven-speed DSG twin-clutch transmission.
The compact electric motor is energised via a lithium-ion battery, and being a plug in hybrid it can be charged via a wall socket when not in use. It's good for a 35 kilometre distance before needing to use the diesel engine.
VW claims the XL1 has a top speed of 160 km/h and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 11.9 seconds "when the full power of the hybrid system is engaged".
The smoothly surfaced prototype achieves its low 0.9L/100km efficiency figure not only via its miserly engine, but also its light weight and aerodynamics. Its carbon-fibre body work helps reduce overall weight to just 795kg, and it slices through the air thanks to a drag co-efficient of just 0.186.
Volkswagen has hinted that a production version of the XL1 is not too far off, calling the third evolution of its one-litre car "close to production maturity".
The extensive use of costly carbon fibre is a sticking point for production, though the company says it has made "significant reductions in production costs" which are "an important step forward to make viable a limited production run of the XL1".
The company's press statement also stated: "When the new millennium was ushered in, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch ... formulated the visionary goal of bringing to the market a production car that was practical for everyday use with a fuel consumption of 1.0 litre per 100 km. In the new XL1, Volkswagen is demonstrating that this goal is now within reach."
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