Volkswagen has announced it is to sell its long-awaited XL-1 – a plug-in hybrid car with a combined fuel consumption rating of 261 mpg.
The XL1 is the most aerodynamic production car ever (Cd 0.19) and with a weight of 795kg it can cruise at a constant 62 mph while using just 8.3 horsepower. In all-electric mode, the two-seater requires less than 0.1 kWh to cover more than a kilometre.
The XL1 emits just 21 g/km of CO2, thanks to its lightweight design, aerodynamic efficiency, and a plug-in hybrid system comprising a 47-hp two-cylinder TDI diesel engine, a 27-hp electric motor, a seven-speed automatic transmission, and a lithium-ion battery.
The XL1 has a top speed of 99 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 12.7 seconds. There is no word yet on price, but XL1 will cut a dramatic profile on the road – it is shorter and narrower than a VW polo and 12cm lower than a Porsche Boxster.
Hyper-fuel-efficient, four-seater cars
VW XL1 may boast astounding fuel efficiency, but what if you need more than two seats?
The Automotive X Prize, a competition to find the best super-efficient vehicles capable of 100mpg (or energy equivalent), has been won by The Edison 2 Very Light Car. It has a performance almost identical to the VW XL1, but can carry four passengers and return 120mpg.
The distinctive-looking car uses a rear-mounted, single-cylinder motorcycle engine running on a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol to produce 40 horsepower.
Amoeba
Not terribly impressed, although it’s a lot better than most cars. No, 261 mpg is an improvement, but it’s still nowhere near good enough.
Car manufacturers have to do better. The record (2005) for distance travelled per volume of fuel I’m aware of is 5385 km/litre or ~15000 mpg Imp. I appreciate the vehicle that achieved such results isn’t practical, but it shows what can be achieved.
It isn’t possible to achieve really high efficiencies with a vehicle like a car, the vehicle has to be much more like a bicycle.
Seeing as a bicycle (roadster) can achieve the following, figures obtained or derived from ‘Bicycling Science’ Whitt & Wilson, MIT.
Vehicle Speed mph Km/litre MPG
Roadster 4 357 2951
Roadster 10 557 1584
Roadster 15 1037 1016
Walking 4 157 448
Now, there are vehicles known as velomobiles which are faired tricycles which offer weather protection and enable considerably higher efficiencies and much higher speeds than a sit-up & beg bicycle.
I’m somewhat uncertain about the results, but I believe that velomobiles could make a huge difference to commuting, energy use and range. What do such vehicles look like?
Something like this:
http://www.velomobiel.nl/questxs/
or this:
http://www.milan-velomobil.de/index_en.htm
or this:
http://wimschermer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/introductie-velotilt.html
Cycleboy
At 55 seconds into this video, they showed, perhaps the most innovative feature yet: the front wheel turned about a vertical axis. Yes, it can steer. Whatever will they think of next?