Volkswagen Launches 261 mpg XL1 Plug-in Hybrid, World’s Most Efficient Production Car

Recall that old statement, believe half of what you see and none of what you read.

Does not seem like a big production run, could be a lack of confidence. Step in the right direction though.

 

I clearly should have applied that aphorism to your post.

 

I don't believe it can get 261 mpg, the origin Insight can only get ~70 mpg.
Assuming the diesel can double this, still only 140 mpg.
I think it is missing the "e', 261 MPGe may be.

 

We do have one figure for 100 kph. It takes 8.3 kwh to go 62 miles without climate controls. That's 133 wh at the motor, figure for charging losses and battery we get about 174 wh from the plug. It will ofcourse be more efficient at lower speeds, and if you need a lot of heat, you are going to have to fire up that ice.

The volt was built to be mainly an ev with an ice generator for longer trips. This is chiefly a extremely efficient diesel highway car, optimized for low drag and highway effieincy. They added the hybrid parts to down size the engine and add city effieciency. It needed a big battery for all that, so why not add a plug. This is an evolution of the super car idea, with size sacrificed for efficiency. VW pulled out all the stops for high efficiency, except made it a little larger for side by side seating.

Would you really pay that much more for this than a volt.

 

Yea, but it's a VW.

 

By my arithmetic that works out to 118 MPG, or 190 Km per gallon.

They must be using imperial gallons to have the numbers at least be close.

No doubt though, 1L/100 Km is an awesome result for hybrid mode at 100 kph. This car is the plug-in version descendant of the original Honda insight. And like the insight, it pretty much shows the same thing: Exceptional fuel economy is possible with trade-offs few people will accept. Too bad it has the VW frankenstein transmission and costs so much.

 

Using the power and efficiency numbers AG posted:

A US gallon of diesel has about 33.4*1.15 = 38.5 kwh of heat energy
If 42% makes it to the wheels, that is 16.17 kwh
A km requires 83 wh (8.3 kw at 100 kph)
So one gallon moves the car (16.17kwh/0.083 kwh/km) = ~ 195 km

 

At 153.1 inches long, it is 4.2 shorter than a Prius c. Volkswagen's 261 mpg XL1 Arrives Soon - CleanMPG Forums

 

I don't care that this thing is "underpowered;" the sad thing is that it most likely won't be coming here to the U.S.

 

Also, it has a power to weight ratio close to that of the Prius, so it probably won't be any slower than what you're currently driving. I wouldn't worry about performance too much, and the target customer is not looking for speed if they decide to drive one of these.

 

Where did the 8.3 kW at 100 kph come from? The actual press release from VW, as shown at Autoblog Green's article, says 6.2 kW at 100 km/h.

Volkswagen's 261-mpg hand-built XL1 headed for Geneva

 

Well if the mountain does not come to you, you go to the mountain.

 

2002 Honda Insight!

Wheelbase:94.5 in
Length:155.1 in
Curb weight:1982 lb
Honda Insight CVT - Short Take Road Test - Car Reviews - Car and Driver

 

Just saying If all the car companies went away and all that was left was VW I would walk or take a Train to work.

 

Vauxhall Ampera now available to order | Next Green Car

 

I'm thinking the claims from VW are based on the European "combined and weighted" estimates. On the same system, the Volt gets 1.2l/100km (196 mpg US), 83km (52 miles) EV range at 16.9kWh/100km and 27g/km. The new VW is about 50km EV range at about (just under) 10kWh/100km.

The Volt numbers look great even though the gas-only fuel consumption is separately estimated as 5.0l/100km. The trick is that longer battery range reduces the ratio of gas or diesel in the final combined and weighted number and the CO2 is calculated off of that.

I wouldn't be surprised if the diesel-only fuel consumption rate of the VW engine is more like 2.5l/100km rather than .91l/100km that is being reported.

Update: Wikipedia says the basic diesel consumption rate is 2.0l/100km or about 120 mpg (US).

Volkswagen 1-litre car - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The NEDC formula is described at the following URL.

Combined and weighted | Opel Ampera Blog

I get an error viewing that on a phone because I suspect it is redirecting to a broken mobile version of the page.

I can view it instead through the google cache at:

Combined and weighted | Opel Ampera Blog

 

This may be the answer to urban transportation. EV bicycle. 20-30 mile range.

IZIP E3 Zuma Electric Bike - Cantilever Frame | currietech.com

 

I stand corrected. I read it from a different source, but now looking at that its 8.3 hp and my power dixlexia switched it to kw. Its even lower than my statement.

 

Awesome, maybe off topic, but I wonder whether the battery can be recharged by pedaling!