VW XL1 (2013) 314mpg eco-car heads for production

VWs XL1 concept is to start production in late 2013 / early 2014 and offers up to 314MPGe. Although it is no rocketship, the combination of light weight construction and feeble drivetrain make this usable, at least in Europe.

VW supremo Ferdinand Piech has kept his promise of putting the XL1 super-eco car into production. VW has confirmed the 313mpg XL1 will be built in limited numbers, around 50 of which are earmarked for UK sale. It's an expensive way to save money on fuel though: projected prices for the XL1 run into six figures.

Car Magazine

Dang, that car is sweet.

I want one.

Heck, I bet even if I won lottery, I wouldn't be able to afford that machine.

Originally posted by EasyPleaseMe
VWs XL1 concept is to start production in late 2013 / early 2014 and offers up to 314MPGe. Although it is no rocketship, the combination of light weight construction and feeble drivetrain make this usable, at least in Europe.

VW supremo Ferdinand Piech has kept his promise of putting the XL1 super-eco car into production. VW has confirmed the 313mpg XL1 will be built in limited numbers, around 50 of which are earmarked for UK sale. It's an expensive way to save money on fuel though: projected prices for the XL1 run into six figures.

Car Magazine

This is great because we have to start somewhere, but we have 'started' somewhere many times before with no other result than failure. This car is going to cost at least one hundred grand! We common-folk, who really need fuel efficient vehicles, cannot afford it; that, my friend, is this ironic tragedy. Volkswagen has good intentions, but they are still held back by having to survive in a monetary system. Their technology may be incredible, but until it is available to the masses, it's cultural and life changing potential will never be realized

Fill the tiny 10-litre fuel tank and VW claims the XL1 has a range of 310 miles, including 31 miles of electric motor power alone. CO2 emissions are a tiny 27g/km when the engine is running.

How does one figure 314 mpg when fully fueled it has a range of 310?

Take the 31 miles on electric power out and that drops it to 269 miles on a tank... but 10 litres is just over 2.5 gallons so it's more like 105 mpg.

This car is not that revolutionary. The Mercedes SLS electric is a much better car, faster, prettier....and is soon hitting the market.

www.autoblog.com...

I don't mean to sound trollish but this kind of smacks the face of your dignity right? Their ingenious idea is a small engine/ hybrid with lightweight design? Very creative. We now have a car that can save the planet but they are only making a hand full and it is too expensive to purchase for the average consumer? This doesn't help the world at all. Thank you for the post, very informative even if i am not a fan.

reply to post by turboneon


There are affordable electric cars, like the Mitsubishi MiEV. It`s not cheap, but it`s affordable.

Originally posted by apokalupsis33vital
This is great because we have to start somewhere, but we have 'started' somewhere many times before with no other result than failure. This car is going to cost at least one hundred grand! We common-folk, who really need fuel efficient vehicles, cannot afford it; that, my friend, is this ironic tragedy. Volkswagen has good intentions, but they are still held back by having to survive in a monetary system. Their technology may be incredible, but until it is available to the masses, it's cultural and life changing potential will never be realized

Agreed, at least VW are kicking off the trend which should lead to lower production costs until this sort of efficiency is available to the masses.

As an example I remember Blue-Ray drives were about GBP 1,000 when first released. I can now get one for less than a 10th of the price.

Originally posted by abecedarian

Fill the tiny 10-litre fuel tank and VW claims the XL1 has a range of 310 miles, including 31 miles of electric motor power alone. CO2 emissions are a tiny 27g/km when the engine is running.

How does one figure 314 mpg when fully fueled it has a range of 310?

Take the 31 miles on electric power out and that drops it to 269 miles on a tank... but 10 litres is just over 2.5 gallons so it's more like 105 mpg.

edit on 3/2/2013 by abecedarian because: (no reason given)

I calculate 10l = 2.2 gallons so 313-31 = 282miles. 282/2.2 = 128.18MPG for the IC engine alone

This excludes the energy recovered from braking.

However I sill think they are cheating with the headline figure. The Euro MPG test will allow a lot of the test to be completed on battery alone.

Originally posted by hououinkyouma
This car is not that revolutionary. The Mercedes SLS electric is a much better car, faster, prettier....and is soon hitting the market.

www.autoblog.com...

Now that's one sweet ride.

Originally posted by hououinkyouma
This car is not that revolutionary. The Mercedes SLS electric is a much better car, faster, prettier....and is soon hitting the market.

www.autoblog.com...

All electric cars are great. The problem is they won't be on everyones drive in the near future without massive investment in infrastructure. Most countries power generation and distribution can only just cope with current requirements never mind having everyone plugging in their 200kWh battery and expecting it to charge in a reasonable amount of time.

Hybrids like this are probably to best solution for the near future as they require no additional infrastructure. You can pull in, fill up and go.

reply to post by Manhater


Yeah, I had the opportunity of driving one of those (not the electric model although). It will make you happy for some weeks lol

reply to post by EasyPleaseMe

All electric cars are great. The problem is they won't be on everyones drive in the near future without massive investment in infrastructure. Most countries power generation and distribution can only just cope with current requirements never mind having everyone plugging in their 200kWh battery and expecting it to charge in a reasonable amount of time.

Yeah, but at least here in Japan the government has projects and is starting to invest in infrasctracture and incentives for electric cars.

Soon some electric Kei-cars (small models affordable to most people) are going to start production.

Originally posted by hououinkyouma
reply to post by EasyPleaseMe

 

All electric cars are great. The problem is they won't be on everyones drive in the near future without massive investment in infrastructure. Most countries power generation and distribution can only just cope with current requirements never mind having everyone plugging in their 200kWh battery and expecting it to charge in a reasonable amount of time.

Yeah, but at least here in Japan the government has projects and is starting to invest in infrasctracture and incentives for electric cars.

Soon some electric Kei-cars (small models affordable to most people) are going to start production.

We have the same in the UK too but not on a significant scale. I imagine Japan, as always, will lead the way...

Take the 31 miles on electric power out and that drops it to 269 miles on a tank... but 10 litres is just over 2.5 gallons so it's more like 105 mpg.

I calculate 10l = 2.2 gallons so 313-31 = 282miles. 282/2.2 = 128.18MPG for the IC engine alone

So in other words the "314mpg" claim is a complete in-your-face lie.

They assume that you charged the car overnight for free, then add those miles on top of the miles the car does after the gasolene fuel runs out.

In that case, why dont they just get rid of the fuel engine completely and have an INFINITY miles per gallon car?

Why only 50?!

I want one!!!

Seriously though, why is all the best tech always buried and bogarted?

Originally posted by ltdan08
Why only 50?!

I want one!!!

Seriously though, why is all the best tech always buried and bogarted?

I think this is why:

So why the heck have they done it? As a technological beacon for the Group, and as a testbed for new technologies. Not just for the carbonfibre tub or extreme aero either. In fact the exact same driveline will be put in the nose of a Up! next year. And with double the engine (a 1.6 TDI) the same thing will come in a plug-in hybrid Golf. And on the day we saw the XL1, Audi announced the A3 e-tron, which has the same hybrid system but a 1.4 petrol engine. Petrol means the A3 e-tron can be sold as an alternative to the plug-in Prius for people who actually like cars.Linkie

VW is toying around with the 1l concept for some time now. I wished they produced the forerunner. I like space around my car when parked.

Originally posted by alfa1
So in other words the "314mpg" claim is a complete in-your-face lie.

They assume that you charged the car overnight for free, then add those miles on top of the miles the car does after the gasolene fuel runs out.

In that case, why dont they just get rid of the fuel engine completely and have an INFINITY miles per gallon car?

edit on 2-3-2013 by alfa1 because: (no reason given)

VW are only allowed to quote figures based on the results of the European defined MPG test. I guess the figure is MPGe as I wrote rather than MPG but as usual the press dont understand complex things like that.

I have seen elsewhere that the car does about 160MPG when driven starting with a flat battery. That isnt too bad but nearly half of what the headline figure suggests.

Looks/design: Gobsmacking.
Mileage efficiency: Brilliant
Road tax band: Lower than the cast and crew of Das Boot
Price: What? You are having a laugh arent you?

Heres the thing that I will never be able to fathom about car makers and thier ecologically friendly vehicles. There are two reasons why one would want an ecologically friendly car. One of those reasons has to do with having fantasies involving pandas, sperm wales, a hot tub, and a look at your carbon foot print reduction to get you hot and bothered. This reason, also requires one to be so well off that one can afford to think about such abstract ideas, so well off, that one can afford to source everything one uses at great financial cost, and a minimal ecological one.

Then, theres the good reason to buy an ecologically friendly ANYTHING, which is that because it has less impact on the environment, the Europeans wont charge you as much for doing it, owning it, or what have you. In the specific case of the car, it will reduce your fuel cost day to day, because it does more miles with less fuel. It will, provided it is efficient enough, cause your road tax to change, or nearly vanish altogether. In summary then, it is supposed to be CHEAPER.

But it isnt. At the moment ecologically friendly automobiles currently come in two varieties in the main, those being utterly tedious and overpriced, and bloody AMAZING but RIDICULOUSLY expensive! This means that no matter which end of the scale you purchase from, you are going to be paying a great deal in insurance. Not only that, but in the case of models such as the VW XL1, the price is not just ridiculous, but utterly unreasonable.

Currently all the people who live in Hollywood and are movie actor types, swan around in thier Prius's happy in the belief that they are offsetting all that nasty carbon they used getting themselves and thier handbag dogs to Manila for the latest film they were working on, and then that little stop at San Moritz to meet with whatever bit of fluff they happen to be ravishing this month. They might see this thing and say "Well gee whizz! I might just fly this thing out next time I go on location!".

Where as the man on the street is just looking to prevent his hard earned pennies from dissapearing up George Osborne's behind. Until car manufacturers create cars which combine the efficiency and dynamic behind this example, and the price of a 1995 Proton Persona, the eco-car market is going to be full of the most pointless things ever to possess four wheels and an engine.

reply to post by TrueBrit


Well, it is ridiculous expansive because it wont be mass produced. It is merely a testbed for the next generation of muesli cars. If you want to drive eco, you might wanna keep track of the polo bluemotion, ibiza ecomotion and the like. Those cars will be mass-released by the lease companies pretty soon. In this economic climate, you could go home with one for peanuts. I've calculated mine at something like 60 miles a gallon. It could do way better than that, but I don't bother.

You wont get the newest tech for peanuts, but if you'll settle for the next best thing, you could be king.