The XL1 is the new production champion with regards to fuel economy. It´s a hybrid car with a small diesel engine and an electric motor.
As you can see Volkswagen used every trick out of the book and then some to get the best aerodynamics. Even the mirrors are replaced by mini cameras to minimize drag.
The main problem: it´s a two-seater so it´s 1:50 for a family of four and quite a capital investment if you really buy two. Prices are not yet announced but Volkswagen surprised the automotive world by announcing it will actually produce them.
I wouldn´t hold my breath for the wing-doors though, usually they disappear when a concept is turned into a real car. #Tech
Is it me or does it only have one wheel in the back? The smart sold pretty well, but it has the size advantage. This one doesn't seem much shorter than many other compact cars.
It does have four wheels +Alex Balcázar as I could see from other photos. It´s certainly not a small car.
Big car, two seats, 1l/100km. We'll have to wait for a price if it does go into production. In any case, an interesting addition.
It reminds me of the GM EV1/Impact (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_EV1)
plus.google.com/114605547533973731226/posts/9pM3DQmVHPq
And "Colani 2CV" by Luigi Colani (1981), 1.7 L/100 km at 66 km/h:
carstyling.ru/en/car/1981_colani_2cv/en/car/1981_colani_2cv
Links: plus.google.com/114605547533973731226/posts/BX2FW8fpsBo
Happy to see it coming closer to production. I could use a car like this as a daily driver or to take me on long trips. Sadly 1:100 still doesn't beat what you could tweak out of a Honda insight circa 2001.
This is a great step in the right direction.
When we start signing up for electric transportation, we also sign up for changing our concept of what a "real car" is. We think of "car" presently as a two-ton, mile-a-minute lounge on wheels. But it's dinosaur time for that one.
Safe to predict that the electric vehicles that find evolutionary success won't be "cars" that happen to have electric motors!
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I wonder if it will be viewable at the Geneva car show next month…
They'd promised this would be in a limited production (1000) last year
Pretty cool. I still wish Volkswagen had fleshed out the Nanospyder concept car!
It uses 0.9 l/100 km.
… but, does it have a towbar?
tja, ik rijd nog altijd in een Citroen Méhari (2 cylinder): heerlijk hier in de Po-vlakte en de Colli Bolognesi 🙂
+Peter J. Bury If I recall correctly, this VW is also a 2 cylinder vehicle, albeit diesel. It also has a 20KW electric motor and can still manage 100mph top speed and get you to 60mph in under 12s – Impressive!
But your Méhari won´t do 160km/u +Peter J. Bury 😉
true! but it probably does off-road better and I can remove my roof completely!
When I was 10-12 I wanted a Citroën Méhari 4WD sand color. Now I would be happy with a regular orange unit.
what is the source of that photo?
Probably this: e-go.nl/e-go/xl1-s-werelds-zuinigste-productieauto.html
But there are better ones here:
1. zercustoms.com/photos/Volkswagen-XL1-(2014).html
2. hdmotori.it/volkswagen-xl1-foto-ufficiali
3. drive.ru/news/volkswagen/512776bcb7214234540000b6.html