The Volkswagen XL1 (VW 1-litre) is a two-person limited production diesel-powered

plug-in hybrid A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid electric vehicle whose battery pack can be recharged by plugging a charging cable into an external electric power source, in addition to internally by its on-board internal combustion engin ...

produced by

Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...

. The XL1 car was designed to be able to travel 100 km on 1 litre of

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...

(), while being both roadworthy and practical. To achieve such economy, it was produced with lightweight materials, a

streamline Streamline may refer to: Business * Streamline Air, American regional airline * Adobe Streamline, a discontinued line tracing program made by Adobe Systems * Streamline Cars, the company responsible for making the Burney car Engineering ...

d body and an engine and transmission designed and tuned for economy. The concept car was modified first in 2009 as the L1 and again in 2011 as the XL1. A limited production of 250 units began by mid 2013 and pricing started at (~ ). The Volkswagen XL1 plug-in diesel-electric hybrid was available only in Europe and its 5.5 kWh

lithium-ion battery A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also se ...

delivered an

all-electric range All-electric range (AER) is the maximum driving range of an electric vehicle using only power from its on-board battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of an all-electric vehicle, it means the maximum range per recharge. For ...

of , had a fuel economy of under the NEDC cycle and produced emissions of 21 g/km of . The XL1 was released to retail customers in Germany in June 2014.

History

Prototype

The prototype VW 1-litre

concept car A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...

was shown to the public in April 2002 when

Ferdinand Piëch Ferdinand Karl Piëch (; 17 April 1937 – 25 August 2019) was an Austrian business magnate, engineer and executive who was the chairman of the executive board (''Vorstandsvorsitzender'') of Volkswagen Group in 1993–2002 and the chairman of th ...

, then chairman of the board of management, drove the concept between Wolfsburg and Hamburg as part of the Volkswagen annual meeting of

stockholder A shareholder (in the United States often referred to as stockholder) of a corporation is an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the legal owner ...

s. For aerodynamics, the car seats two in

tandem Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...

, rather than side-by-side. There are no rear view mirrors and it instead uses cameras and electronic displays. The rear wheels are close together to allow a streamlined body. The total

aerodynamic drag In fluid dynamics, drag (sometimes called air resistance, a type of friction, or fluid resistance, another type of friction or fluid friction) is a force acting opposite to the relative motion of any object moving with respect to a surrounding fl ...

is minimal because both the

drag coefficient In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient (commonly denoted as: c_\mathrm, c_x or c_) is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment, such as air or water. It is used in the drag equ ...

and frontal area are small (see

drag equation In fluid dynamics, the drag equation is a formula used to calculate the force of drag experienced by an object due to movement through a fully enclosing fluid. The equation is: F_\, =\, \tfrac12\, \rho\, u^2\, c_\, A where *F_ is the drag force ...

). The

(''C''_d) is 0.159, compared to 0.30 - 0.40 for typical cars. The external dimensions of the car are long, wide and tall. There is of storage space. The car features an aircraft-style canopy, flat wheel covers and an underbelly cover to smooth the airflow. The engine cooling vents open only as needed. 1-Liter-VW (525150348)

For light weight, the car uses an unpainted

carbon fibre Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...

skin over a

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

-alloy subframe. Individual components have been designed to be low weight, including engine, transmission, suspension, wheels (carbon fibre), brakes (aluminium), hubs (titanium), bearings (ceramic), interior, and so on. Empty vehicle weight is . The body and frame are designed with crush/

crumple zone Crumple zones, crush zones, or crash zones are a structural safety feature used in vehicles, mainly in automobiles, to increase the time over which a change in velocity (and consequently momentum) occurs from the impact during a collision by a ...

s and roll-over protection, and the tandem seating means large side crush zones. Volkswagen claims protection comparable to a GT racing car. The car has

anti-lock brakes An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a safety anti-skid braking system used on aircraft and on land vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. ABS operates by preventing the wheels from locking up during braking, thereby maintainin ...

, airbags with pressure sensors, and

stability control Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a car handling, vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of Tract ...

. The engine is a one-cylinder diesel producing just . It drives through a six-speed transmission that combines stick-shift mechanics, weight, and drive efficiency with automatic convenience and efficiency controls. There is no clutch pedal. The gear selection (forwards, reverse or neutral) is made using a switch on the right-hand side of the cockpit. The engine is switched off automatically during deceleration and stops, and auto-restarted when the acceleration pedal is pressed. According to Volkswagen, the vehicle consumes , giving it a driving range on one tank of fuel. At the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show senior VW exec Ferdinand Piëch claimed the car would be available by the end of the decade. Around June 2008 car magazines were reporting a powerplant change to a two-cylinder diesel-electric hybrid. Volkswagen only expected the car to be a limited production run, and prices were expected by one industry insider to be between €20,000 and €30,000.

2009 model

The second Volkswagen 1-litre car, named ''L1'', was first shown to the public at the 2009

Frankfurt Motor Show The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...

. Limited production of the VW L1 was expected to start in 2013 but with the announcement of the XL1 in 2011 this was considered unlikely. The L1 continues the two-seater tandem concept first shown in the 2002 1-litre concept. It has a

curb weight Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity. Curb or kerb weight Curb weight (U.S. English) or kerb ...

of , with a low coefficient of drag of 0.195. It is in length, tall and wide. Frontal area is , giving a

drag area In mechanics and aerodynamics, the drag area of an object represents the effective size of the object as it is "seen" by the fluid flow around it. The drag area is usually expressed as a product C_d A, where A is a representative area of the object ...

(C_dA) of . It uses one half of a 1.6-litre TDI engine in a hybrid installation. The 800 cm³, twin-cylinder, common-rail turbodiesel is joined by a electric motor and has a emission 39 g/km. The engine operates in two modes: "eco" mode, giving , and "sport" mode giving . The electric motor provides extra acceleration and can power the L1 on its own for short distances. Volkswagen claimed the L1 can achieve a top speed of , with acceleration in 14.3 s.

2011 model

The ''XL1'' is the third iteration of the Volkswagen 1-litre car, unveiled at the 2011

Qatar Motor Show Qatar Motor Show is an annual international motor show held in Doha, Qatar. It is held each January at the Doha Exhibitions Centre. The debut motor show was in 2011 which had 90,000 attendees. The 2012 show grew to 120,000 visitors from around the ...

. The

prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...

is branded as a "Super Efficient Vehicle" (SEV). According to Volkswagen, the XL1 can achieve a combined

fuel consumption A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chemical energy but ...

of and emissions of 24 g/km. Like the L1, the XL1 uses a two-cylinder turbo-diesel. Displacing , it is rated at and of torque and transmits power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed DSG transmission. The electric motor pitches in with and of torque, and can work in parallel with the diesel or drive the car independent of it. Fully charged, the XL1 can travel up to on electric power. The XL1 has a

of , and a (a similar drag coefficient to the

General Motors EV1 The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by General Motors from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker and the first GM car designed to be ...

electric car An electric car, battery electric car, or all-electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using only energy stored in batteries. Compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, electric cars are quie ...

). Frontal area is 1.5 m² giving a m². Just 23.2% of the car () is made out of either

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...

; the drivetrain weighs . The XL1's length and width are similar to the

Volkswagen Polo The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen since 1975. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants throughout its production run. History ...

, with a length of and width of . However, the car is much lower with a height of only , and has a coupe-like roofline, reducing interior volume. The design incorporates

butterfly doors Butterfly doors are a type of car door sometimes seen on high-performance cars. They are slightly different from scissor doors. While scissor doors move straight up via hinge points at the bottom of a car's A-pillar, butterfly doors move up and ...

, with the interior seating layout using a staggered side-by-side arrangement similar to a Smart Fortwo, rather than the previous versions' tandem seating. Performance credentials include a governed top speed of , with acceleration to in 11.9 seconds.

Production version

In February 2012, Volkswagen confirmed that it would build a limited series of XL1s starting in 2013. The production version of the plug-in diesel-electric hybrid was unveiled at the 2013

Geneva Motor Show The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...

. As with the 2011 concept XL1, it is powered by an 800 cm³ two-cylinder diesel engine with and a electric motor. The combined power output is and torque is . Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The wheels are fitted with

low rolling resistance tyre Low rolling resistance tires are designed to reduce the energy loss as a tire rolls, decreasing the required rolling effort — and in the case of automotive applications, improving vehicle fuel efficiency as approximately 5–15% of the fuel c ...

s sized 115/80 R15 (front) and 145/55 R16 (rear). The drag coefficient has increased slightly from 0.186 to 0.189. The production version delivers an

of , in addition to a 10-litre fuel tank which allows for over of real-life driving until the car needs to be refueled. In February 2013, Volkswagen announced that it expected the XL1 to achieve a fuel consumption of and emissions of 21 g/km of . The test cycle allows for a re-charge of the battery every which results in a high mpg value. Using diesel alone the car is capable of up to . One reviewer found that, in real-life traffic, with air conditioning on and without attempts at hypermiling, the car is able to reliably achieve . File:2013-03-05 Geneva Motor Show 7986 zoom in.JPG, Frontal view of the 2013 production XL1 File:2013-03-05 Geneva Motor Show 7979 trimmed.jpg, Rear view of the 2013 production XL1

Production and sales

Production began by mid 2013 and was limited to 250 units. A total of 50 units had been built by early September 2013, and the remaining 200 XL1s were scheduled to be built in the second quarter of 2014. Prices started at . The XL1 was available in Europe only. Retail deliveries began in Germany in June 2014. Of the 250 units to be produced, 200 were to be sold to retail customers. Volkswagen opened a registration process for interested customers that closed on 18 October 2013. Because more than 200 potential buyers registered, a draw was conducted to select the customers with a purchase option for the available cars. They were offered a purchase contract and after the payment of a deposit, the purchase agreement for an XL1 was binding.

Reception

The Volkswagen XL1 was selected in February 2014 as one of the top five finalists for the 2014

World Car of the Year The World Car Awards (formerly World Car of the Year, WCOTY) is a group of automobile ''Car of the Year'' awards selected by a jury of 82 international automotive journalists from 24 countries. Cars considered must be sold in at least five countr ...

References

External links

Volkswagen press release, 15 April 2002, "The 1-litre car" (archived)
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080225211223/http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/volkswagen-world/futures/1-litre-car Official Volkswagen 1-Litre car press releasebr>Official Volkswagen L1 press releaseOfficial Volkswagen XL1 press release
{{DEFAULTSORT:Volkswagen 1-Litre Car Cars powered by 2-cylinder engines 1-Litre-Auto Volkswagen Group diesel engines Hybrid electric vehicles Plug-in hybrid vehicles