Volkswagen to launch the XL1

Posted 21st February, 2013 in Videos, Volkswagen | Leave a comment

Volkswagen has just confirmed that its XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle will go into production at the company’s Osnabrueck plant in Germany.

Measuring 3,888 mm in length, 1,665 mm in width and standing just 1,153 mm tall, the plug-in hybrid two-seater is similar in length and width to Volkswagen’s Polo, but its low-slung body is actually 129 mm lower than that of Porsche’s Boxster. The most aerodynamic car ever made, with a Cd figure of 0.189, the XL1 tips the scales at a mere 795 kg, helping it to return an insane fuel consumption figure of 0.9 l/100 km (around 313 mpg) and 21 g/km of CO2.

Powering this quirky machine is a combination of an 800 cc two-cylinder TDI engine, developing 35 kW (48 hp) and 120 Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed DSG transmission, along with an electric motor producing 20 kW (27 hp) and 100 Nm. On the road, a top speed of 160 km/h is achievable, with 100 km/h appearing in 12,7 seconds. Amazingly, the XL1 is able to cruise at 100 km/h using a mere 6.2 kW (8 hp), while in electric-only mode it requires less than 0.1 kWh to cover one kilometre, and can cover a range of up to 35 kilometres.

This is fantastic news, if only because it will result in Prius owners weeping into their Starbucks’ soy no-foam caramel macchiatos.

On a side note, we can’t wait for Volkswagen release its up! with this engine, as Ulrich Hackenberg claimed it would be doing, last year.