VW to roll out 313mpg car in Germany and UK

Last week at the Qatar Motor Show saw the world debut of Volkswagen’s XL1, a diesel-electric hybrid two-seater that can do 313mpg (0.9 l/100 km) and an announcement that the vehicle will enter limited production for the UK and German markets in 2013. If it proves popular, VW says it plans to increase production and sell in other countries.
May 18, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Last week at the Qatar Motor Show saw the world debut of 994 Volkswagen’s XL1, a diesel-electric hybrid two-seater that can do 313mpg (0.9 l/100 km) and an announcement that the vehicle will enter limited production for the UK and German markets in 2013. If it proves popular, VW says it plans to increase production and sell in other countries.

Conceptually, the XL1 represents the third evolutionary stage of Volkswagen’s 1-litre car strategy first unveiled 10 years ago. When the new millennium was ushered in, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, who is now Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, 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.

The latest version of the car, which has staggered side-by-side seating for two adults and is capable of a top speed of 160 km/h (99mph), attains a CO2 emissions value of just 24 g/km, thanks to a combination of lightweight construction (monocoque and add-on parts made of carbon fibre), very low aerodynamic drag (Cd 0.186) and a plug-in hybrid system - consisting of a two cylinder TDI engine (35 kW / 48 PS), E-motor (20 kW / 27 PS), 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DSG) and lithium-ion battery.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Webasto to unveil EV charging solutions at CES 2018, Las Vegas
    December 22, 2017
    Aftermarket equipment manufacturer Webasto will unveil a full-service electric vehicle (EV) charging program adapted to the specifications of car manufacturers as well as retrofit solutions at CES 2018, In Las Vegas. The Level-2 charging stations are designed with the intention of delivering a reliable service for markets in North America, Europe and China.
    Read More
  • New charging network brings electric motoring to UK drivers
    February 26, 2016
    The completion of a new charging network that stretches the length of Britain’s busiest roads makes long-distance, cross-border journeys by electric vehicles (EV) a realistic prospect for millions more drivers in the UK and Ireland. The network stretches from Stranraer in Scotland to Suffolk in the East of England, from Hull in the North East to Holyhead in north-west Wales, connecting with Belfast in Northern Ireland and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. Each installation includes at least two of t
    Read More
  • VW launches electric car-share in Berlin
    July 9, 2019
    Volkswagen has launched an electric ‘free-floating’ car-share service called WeShare in Berlin. The fleet comprises 1,500 e-Golfs, and they are to be followed by 500 additional e-up!vehicles in the German capital at the beginning of next year. The first units of its full-electric ID.3 are due to be deployed in mid-2020, the manufacturer says. Initially, WeShare will cover around 150 km2 – in the city centre and beyond the city train ring line. The service costs €0.19 per minute but will increase to
    Read More
  • EVs on a roll
    October 8, 2014
    A recently updated report by IDTechEx, Electric Vehicle Forecasts, Trends and Opportunities 2015-2025, indicates that the global market forecast for all hybrid and pure electric vehicles is expected to exceed US$533 billion in 2025. Sales of the BMW i3 and Tesla Model S pure electric cars are rising rapidly, with Tesla holding back demand because it cannot produce enough for at least a year. Those are premium priced vehicles. The major problem with mainstream pure electric cars is price. However, App
    Read More

Highlighted Content