Volkswagen unveils production version of XL1 plug-in hybrid

By Kevin Davis on Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

Volkswagen (VW) announced the production version of its XL1 plug-in hybrid, which the company claims to be the most fuel-efficient production car in the world.

The 2014 Volkswagen XL1 will make debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March this year.

The two-seater XL1 includes a 47-hp two-cylinder turbocharged direct injection (TDI) engine, a 27-hp electric motor, a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a lithium-ion battery.

The XL1 can cover a distance of up to 50 kilometer (km) in all-electric mode and therefore with zero local emissions. In all-electric mode, the XL1 requires less than 0.1 kilowatt per hour (kWh) to cover a driving distance of over 1 km. The XL1, with a top speed of 160 km/h, can accelerate to 100 km/h in just 12.7 seconds, according to VW.

VW plans to produce XL1 by handcrafting-like production methods at its Osnabr ck plant in Germany.

Gallery2014 Volkswagen XL1 Pictures

Source: Volkswagen

Press Release:

The XL1 from Volkswagen is the most fuel-efficient production car in the world, with a European combined fuel consumption rating of 261 mpg. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, this two-seat vehicle can also cover up to 32 miles as a zero-emissions vehicle in all-electric mode.

The XL1 is an automotive standout that follows pure sports-car design principles: light weight (1753 pounds), exceptional aerodynamics (Cd 0.19), and a low center of gravity. This super-efficient Volkswagen thus has the ability to cruise down the road at a constant 62 mph while using just 8.3 horsepower. In all-electric mode, the XL1 requires less than 0.1 kWh to cover more than a kilometer.

The XL1 emits just 21 g/km of CO2, thanks to its high-tech lightweight design, aerodynamic efficiency, and a plug-in hybrid system consisting of a 47-hp two-cylinder TDI engine, a 27-hp electric motor, a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a lithium-ion battery. The 261 mpg fuel consumption figure is a record that has not been achieved by any other vehicle to date, showing that Volkswagen is redefining what is technically feasible in the automotive industry. The XL1 also has a top speed of 99 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 12.7 seconds.

Conceptually, the XL1 represents the third evolutionary stage of Volkswagen's 1-liter car strategy. When the new millennium was ushered in, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Pi ch, currently Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, formulated the visionary goal of putting into production a practical car that had combined fuel consumption of one liter per 100 km (235 mpg). In the two-seat XL1, this vision has become reality.

Despite the tremendous efficiency of the XL1, the engineers and designers successfully came up with a body design which delivers more everyday utility than the two previous prototypes. In the L1, the 1-liter car that was shown in 2002 and 2009, the driver and passenger sat in a tandem arrangement for optimal aerodynamics; in the XL1, the two occupants sit slightly offset, side by side, almost like a conventional vehicle.

The XL1 is 153.1 inches long, 65.6 in wide, and just 45.4 in tall. By comparison, a Volkswagen Polo is slightly longer (156.3 in) and wider (66.2 in), but is significantly taller (57.6 in). Even a purebred sports car like today's Porsche Boxster is 5.1 inches taller. The XL1 will look spectacular going down the highway-a car of the future, built for today.