Under-weight, over-achiever — introducing the Supercar!

When it comes to the most efficient VW ever, the XL1 takes the title! With the ability to drive more than 500 miles on just two gallons of fuel, this vehicle is an example of fuel economy at its finest. It is also something built today, yet a true reflection of the future!

Thanks to the amazing engineer Ulrich Hackenberg, whose work is linked to the likes of Bentley and Bugatti, the XL1 achieved that unbelievable 261 mpg. With each and every part designed from scratch, this vehicle is impressive in ways that are indescribable. In an effort to both trim weight and add strength, engineers replaced some steel components, including the chassis, with carbon-fiber ones. And to reduce drag, they removed side-view mirrors and sculpted the body into a smooth, low-riding shape. The result is a vehicle that is both lighter (1,753 pounds) and slipperier, with the two-cylinder diesel engine and the 20kW electric motor propelling the XL1 to well over 500 miles on just a single 2.6-gallon tank of fuel and equipping it with a top speed of 99 mph.

With these impressive stats comes a limited run in Europe, however, with safety regulations in the U.S. making it even that much more difficult to export. Despite that, America just may see the XL1 and its uber-efficient engine down the road.

Practical for every-day use yet offered as a low fuel consumption of one litre per 100 km, the XL1 represents the third evolutionary stage of the 1-litre car strategy by Volkswagen. This two-seater plug-in hybrid electric car features a two-cylinder 48ps TDI engine and a 27ps electric motor. In addition to its top fuel efficiency, it also boasts the world’s lowest official CO2 figure for a liquid-fueled production car at 21 g/km and the world’s most aerodynamic road-going production car.

What else we know!

VW will produce the XL1 by handcrafting-like production methods at its Osnabruck plant in Germany, all of which are more economical than ever before. It will follow pure sports car design principals with this vehicle possessing the ability to cruise on the road at a constant speed of 100 km/h using just 6.2kW. In the all-electric mode, it requires less than 0.1kWh to cover a driving distance of more than one kilometer.

Considered the most aerodynamic car ever, the XL1 boasts low weight (795 kg), thanks to the use of such tech as magnesium wheels, carbon ceramic brakes and carbon fiber body panels, perfect aerodynamics (Cd 0-189) and a low center of gravity at 1,153 mm high. In other measurements, it is important to note that the XL1 is 3,888mm long and 1,665 mm wide.

The XL1 is the most fuel efficient and eco-friendly automobile truly in the world! That is due to the fact that VW is implementing highly innovative systems and materials that offer what is considered the highest efficiency possible today.

This vehicle was created with an end goal of a sellable “1-liter car.”

When it comes to the various interior and exterior surfaces of the monocoque itself, many of them were intentionally left uncovered by trim panels, thus leaving the high-tech material visible. Overall, the XL1 represents what is considered a complex process in its creation, with all body parts assembled to achieve the specified gap dimensions and flush mounting precisions.

In addition, a total of 32 exterior skin parts are painted on the XL1, six of which are visible carbon parts. The paint itself consists of three layers.

Wing mirrors have been replaced by cameras, and the seats are placed one behind the other so as to keep the cockpit narrow. In addition, the front rims were designed to avoid turbulence from their rotation, and the rear trims are covered entirely for the same purpose.

The XL1 is powered by a two-cylinder, 800 cc turbodiesel unit which sits behind the cockpit and puts out around 50 hp. That receives a boost from the 30-odd hp electric motor that powers the front axle.

The XL1 reaches speeds of 60 mph in about 12.6 seconds, according to stats.

Fuel economy at its best and top aerodynamics to boot, there is much to admire about the XL1. See what this under-weight over-achiever is all about