Volkswagen XL1 is the world's most fuel efficient car. Many lay claim to that title, but what sets the VW XL1 apart from the others is the fact that this car is not a concept anymore. The German automaker has announced it will launch the production version at the Geneva Motor Show.
There are many ways in which you could put forth the XL1's frugal fuel consuming nature. The XL1 is the world's first liter car, in other words, the car will travel a 100 kilometers (62 miles) and just sip 0.9 liter of fuel. VW XL1 has an average fuel efficiency figure of 261 mpg or 111 km/l. Learn more about how the XL1 achieves this feat in the gallery below.
The diesel engine has a maximum output of 35 kW or 48 PS. Not much by regular four wheeler standards, but that enough power to deliver good performance as you'll learn ahead.
Again, the motor produces just 20 kW or 27 PS of power, which is powered by a lithium-ion battery. When running just on the motor, XL1 can cover 50 kms.
Top speed achievable is an impressive 160 km/h (100 mph) considering the high fuel efficiency and low power of the engine. 0 to 100 km is reached in 12.7 seconds.
Aerodynamics and design
It takes more than just a fuel efficient engine to deliver the kind of mileage XL1 achieves. The car is unbelievably sleek. The surface has a drag co-efficient of just 0.189. The center of gravity has been kept low (1,153 high) and the XL1 weighs only 795 kg.
The aerodynamics of the car makes it so efficient that it requires just 6.2 kW or 8.4 PS of power to cruise at a constant 100 km/h and in electric mode just 0.1 kWh of power will take it an astonishing, one kilometer.
A fuel efficient engine also means a clean engine. XL1 will have a tiny carbon footprint, with a CO2 emission figure of just 21 g/km of CO2.
The XL1 is not your regular car even in terms of size. The car measures 3,888 mm long and 1,665 mm wide, but when comes to height it is even lower than a VW Polo. 1,153 mm tall against 1,462 mm. A height that is comparable to some stunning supercars.
XL1 will seat two adults in a futuristic looking cabin.
First presented as a concept by VW in 2002, XL1 will be presented at the Geneva Motor Show. VW has not announced the pricing details and the exact date of the launch yet.