Volkswagen XL1 prototype delivers 261 MPG.
Volkswagen prototype Formula XL1 that uses only combined fuel consumption of 0.91/100km was unveiled at Qatar Motor Show this week.
Although, hybrids have proven to be fuel efficient, no other multiple passenger vehicles on the market provide the fuel efficiency of the XL1. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, who now serves as the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, pioneered the vision of practical car with fuel consumption of about 1.0 liters per kilometer. As a part of Piëch’s vision, he wanted the car to be a production vehicle, making it available in mass quantities.
The lightweight construction, a plug in hybrid system, and low aerodynamic drag, all aid the XL1 in attaining a low CO2 emissions rating. Other factors that contributed to the low emissions rating is the XL1’s 7-speed transmission with a dual clutch and the vehicle’s lithium ion battery. Emissions for the XL1 are 24 g/km, well below that of its gasoline-fueled counterparts.
The plug-in hybrid capacity allows the vehicle to be driven a maximum of 35 kilometers in complete electric mode, emitting zero amounts of CO2. The regenerating lithium battery, chargeable in the standard household outlet, is designed to recover and store energy for future use as it slows down.
While the XL1 is highly efficient, expectations of the body design being practical were slim to none because of the first prototype presented back in 2002 and 2009. However, this time engineers were capable of designing a body frame that incorporates side-by-side seating instead of the bike style layout in the first prototype. Volkswagen introduced winged doors to the prototype as well, making entrance and exit from the vehicle easier.