VW Confirms 1L Concept Will Become Reality in 2010
Image source: Wikipedia
There’s been talk about the VW 1L concept for years. Since VW built the original, fuel economy, safety, price, and release date has been speculated upon and argued about, and I’d finally stopped thinking it was ever going to happen. However, according to VW’s CEO, it should hit the market in 2010.
The VW 1L is so named because, in theory, it only consumes one liter of fuel per 100 kilometers traveled. For those of us in the US, this translates into about 235 MPG. Definitely far and above anything on the market currently. The concept, developed in 2002, actually got better fuel economy, scoring a sweet .89L/100km in VW testing. It’s likely to use more fuel in real world use, but with that kind of mileage in testing it’s unlikely that anyone would complain about an “unsatisfactory 200 MPG.”
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The thing is, that kinda of fuel economy comes at the price of riding in an extremely small two seater, with the two seats being one in front of the other, a la jet plane, rather than a standard side by side. The 1L also looks frighteningly close to the ground, which is part of how it pulls off a drag coefficient of .159, much better than any current production vehicle. While the final design isn’t done, VW will probably power the car with a 1 cyclinder diesel engine of displacement lower the .5 L, meaning the car’s speed will top out at 120 km/h.
The other obvious issue is the one I’m sure you’re all wondering about too. How safe is this thing? While I’m not usually one to complain about small cars, the 1L is extremely light and low to the ground. If it were released in the US I could easily see it being run over by any old F150 or Hummer. Nothing is out right now about safety, but as the production date nears, I’m sure VW will be doing lots of testing to reassure the public.
2010 isn’t that far off, in fact, it’s about the same time the Volt is supposed to be hitting the streets, so you’ll likely hear a lot more good and bad about this car in the coming months.
Posts Related to VW’s 1L and other Green Car Technology:
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Source: Motorauthority
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I’d buy this car under three conditions:
1. It was under $20,000.
2. I could fit in it (I’m 6′2″ and have trouble fitting in sub-compact cars already)
3. It was classified like a motorcycle so that I could drive it in the HOV lane.
[...] VW’s 1L car will be released in [...]
that car is so ugly i dont think anybody will buy it
Is that 235 with an American driving or a European? Our American “size” will hinder it a bit.
But seriously, I think this WOULD work for some of us here. No car will work for everyone. But I think they could sell enough for it to make sense.
It makes more sense than the SMART car considering I get better mileage with my Golf Diesel than the SMART car and I can carry 5 people (3 kids). And they are selling the SMART car here. So…..
I used to ride a motorcycle. I gave it up because it is pretty hard to strap a kid on the back of your bike. If VW can price this at the Civic/Corolla price range, I’d buy one. It won’t handle and accelerate like a sport bike, but I can live with that for my daily commute. Plus, I’d be out of the weather, have a lockable space and can take the kid if I need to.
It’s curious that they’re trying to sell it in the country of the big trucks and hi-drag cars/gas-hoggers, this car will for sure sellout in all the third world, europe and japan (you don’t need to have a garage for cars with engine’s displacement smaller than 2/3 of a liter. And this drag coefficient is beyond crazy! The top drag coefficients cars are like what? .26? They should actually put a better engine, it may reduce the mileage but it would be much more attractive for normal consumers, perhaps it’s safety issues..
Well you won’t see it here unless it gets here in 2009. NOX output goes down in 2010 here in the states. Europe will match next year and then be behind in 2010 so the diesel engines won’t be coming in to the US in 2010. I assume that the engine is a diesel and not gas. Smart car has 3L per 100km now and you can’t get one to save your life in the US. Canada you can as well as Europe.
The low-drag is great, but how’s it handle against gravity? A 1 cyclinder diesel sounds great for flat roads and commuting, but what if I need to go to a city in Appalachia or some other mountainous region?
It doesn’t look any less safe than a motorcycle, and you can drive it all year long. My car will be due for a replacement around 2010 and if they sell this here I may have to consider getting one.
Nobody notices that these technologies have been around for decades, and developement should have been no more than a year…… Cars in 2010 mean that the companies are all STILL dragging their feet until they absolutely have no choice…. GM, Ford, and some others have bo’t and retired more useful devices than the rest of the whole world. It is disgusting, and remains just so…. Collaberation with the oil companies have kept us all in the dark for more years than I can count.
Sometimes, Capitalism just does NOT work….
Cyborg