The World’s Most Fuel Efficient Car: 285 MPG, Not A Hybrid
[UPDATE 9/15/09]: Volkswagen’s Diesel-Hybrid L1 Concept Gets 170 MPG, Available by 2013
Welcome Google search visitors: This is just one of many articles produced here on a daily basis on Gas 2.0. If you find this post interesting, sign up for our RSS feed and stay up to date.
This is what a team of engineers can do when challenged to push the limits of fuel efficiency and technology. You may have already heard of VW’s 1-liter car, but take a closer look. It’s a sports-economy concept car produced a few years ago by VW engineers, to answer one big question: could they build a car that consumes less than 3 liters of fuel for every 100 km traveled?
It turns out they could, but they didn’t stop there. Instead, VW blew by that goal to create a car that uses only 1 liter of fuel for every 100 km. That’s 285 MPG.
- » See also: Teenage-Built Diesel Hybrid Does 0-60 in 4 Seconds, Soon to Break 100 MPG
- » Get Gas 2.0 by RSS or sign up by email.
To accomplish such a feat, VW’s engineers had to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch. They knew that fuel efficiency depends on aerodynamics and weight, so they created a bullet-shaped, ultra-lightweight (640 lbs) carbon-fiber car powered by a new, completely redesigned diesel engine. To save more weight, they didn’t even paint it:
Proper aerodynamics were key to the low fuel consumption. VW engineers knew they needed a small frontal area. This led to its unusually narrow, bullet-shaped body where the passenger sits behind the driver. As well, the car features an aircraft-like canopy, enclosed rear wheels, special flat carbon-fibre front wheel covers, and an aerodynamic underpan. Even the side cooling air inlets only open when the engine needs cooling, and otherwise stay closed. . .the 1-Litre-Car has an amazingly low coefficient of drag of 0.16 (a typical car has a drag coefficient of approximately 0.30 ).
Everything in the car was made out of lightweight carbon-fiber or magnesium, gears were hollowed, and bolts were made from titanium. Like the electric Aptera Typ1 that I wrote about earlier, the VW 1L was designed without side mirrors (too much drag), instead relying on internal video screens to guide the driver. And also like the Aptera, safety was of particular concern:
Despite its small size and light weight, Volkswagen says the 1-Litre-Car is as safe as a GT sports car registered for racing. With the aid of computer crash simulations, the car was designed with built-in crash tubes, pressure sensors for airbag control, and front crumple zones. Its aluminum fuel tank is located in a protected area behind the passengers. As well, the 1-Litre-Car includes ABS and ESP (electronic stability program).
The existence of the VW 1-Liter car suggests the possibility of drastically reducing our vehicle fuel consumption without any major advances in technology. You probably won’t ever see the VW 1-Liter on the road, but don’t think something like this will never come to the market. You’ll see Aptera’s electric and plug-in hybrids within the next year, and they look like spaceships too.
Addendum: VW’s 1L car will be released in 2010!
More Posts on Green Car Technology:
Affordable Electric Cars Coming to US in 2009
Mercedes 40-MPG Diesel Hybrid: Cleanest SUV on the Planet
Tesla Motors Sues Fisker Automotive Over Electric Car Design
Aptera’s $26,000 Electric Car and 300 MPG Hybrid Coming Soon
Subaru STI: Is Diesel the Intersection of Power and Fuel Economy?
376.59 MPG Car Found In Museum (It Was Built In 1959)
Source:
CanadianDriver (Jun. 5, 2002): Feature: VW 1-Litre-Car
Volkswagen UK
Photo Credit: Canadian Driver
This looks a lot like an updated / modern version of the 1950s Messerschmidt car. See:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/220/501738415_ff9efec7e1.jpg
for an interesting comparison.
Hi All,
Some comments have shown concern for vehicle safety, and their well being when driving a small car such as the VW 1L. Several years ago here in Wisconsin, a SUV driver was killed by a small 400lb. motorcycle. How did it happen?
The motorcycle lost control in a turn right in front of an SUV coming from the opposite direction. When the motorcycle crashed, it did a classic “high side” and popped back up in the air, going right through the windshield of the SUV, and killing the driver.
It just goes to show, when it’s your turn to go, you go, so I really don’t worry about the safety of a small vehicle much. Besides, an SUV is small compared to a Semi!!
So let’s save gas and the planet!!
Just my $.02.
Aptera gets 300 mpg, and a hydrogen fuel cell gets over 10,000 mpg (equvilant), both of these beat this things fuel economy. But 285 mpg normal engine is pretty impressive, I must admit.
I would not even care if it looked like a space ship anymore. I would drive anything if it got me 280mpg.
Fuel efficient, stylish, and instant death if you crash. So I wouldn’t even think of buying one.
hey shab in my opinion you would roll over a couple hundred times then you would puke and lastly the people that hit you go off into the sunset without getticaught while your ride is wrecked! Good day!
mike,mike,mike. what should i tell you. i completly agree with you! good job!
to all the haters… an accident on a motorcycle or scooter, how is that different than a small car? Being held in place by the restraints, or thrown into a lorry?
Recognize any of the aerodynamic design features of this car?
Closed lamps. Small frontal area. Blending of cabin into the rear. Flat rear panel. And the Cabin buttress extending to the rear panel to help with boundary adhesion at the rear. Wide in the front, narrow in the rear.
Where have I seen this before? Hmmm.
Oh, I remember, the Citroen DS & SM. So at least we know where their aero features came from; 35 year-old aero research.
With credit to VW; add modern materials and other improvements and now we have this result. I suspect that carbon fiber monocoque is pretty strong.
With respect to crash worthiness: the carbon fiber tub is likely to be as strong as those used in racing vehicles. I have seen numerous crashes where the tub was all that remained with energy being dissipated by the components that shear off.
If the design is proper the car will be unrepairable, shedding bits outside the tub to dissipate energy. It is very likely that it would function like the safety pod is an F1 car, hydroplane, or other carbon monocoque designs.