Volkswagen XL1

First Version

In 2000, the head of the Volkswagen concern Ferdinand Piech ( English Ferdinand Piech ) decided to construct a super- efficient car according to the following terms of reference: the ability to overcome 100 kilometers per 1 liter of fuel.

To achieve the technical specifications, it was decided to minimize the weight of all components of the car and lighten the body. This was achieved by the following technical solutions:

• manufacture of magnesium supporting spatial frame, gearbox, suspension arms, seat frame, pedals, etc.
• production of body panels from unpainted carbon fiber
• manufacture of carbon rims

The first prototype was made by 2002. The name of the car was given on the terms of reference - "1-Liter car" ("one-liter car").

It was a two-seater car with a passenger landing behind the driver and with a hinged transparent hood, like on fighter planes.

The engine was a 1-cylinder atmospheric diesel engine with a volume of 299 cm³ and a power of 8.5 hp. The gearbox used a 6-speed sequential, robotic, without a clutch pedal.

Mass and overall characteristics of the “one-liter car”:

• Length - 3470 mm
• Width - 1250 mm
• Height - 1100 mm
• Weight - 381 kg
• Trunk volume - 80 liters

At the first demonstration run of the car, Ferdinand Pich covered 230 kilometers on it from the territory of the Wolfsburg automobile plant in Hamburg , where the annual meeting of Volkswagen shareholders was held, showing an average fuel consumption of 0.89 liters per 100 kilometers ^[1] .

Full refueling tank "1-Liter car", according to the representatives of the concern, was enough for 650 kilometers ^{[2] [3]} .

Second Version

In 2009, at the traditional Frankfurt Motor Show , Volkswagen introduced a new version of the super-efficient 1-Liter car, the Volkswagen L1 . In this case, they decided to simplify the previous name to an abbreviation.

This time, designers have strengthened and complicated the power plant. The car has become a hybrid .

A twin-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine with a volume of 800 cm³ and a power of 13.4 hp was installed on L1. as well as an electric motor.

The hybrid scheme assumed the simultaneous operation of a diesel engine and an electric motor in economy mode with a total power of 27 hp. and in sport mode at 39 hp ^[2]

Also, the mass-dimensional characteristics of the machine itself have increased compared to the previous version:

• Length - 3813 mm
• Width - 1200 mm
• Height - 1143 mm
• Weight - 381 kg

The CO ₂ emission is 39 grams / km. The maximum speed declared by Volkswagen was 158 km / h. Up to 100 km / h, the L1 accelerates in 14.3 seconds ^[4] .

Third Version

In 2011, Volkswagen introduced the third version of the “1-Liter car” - the Volkswagen XL1 ^{[2] [5]} .

The main design feature of the XL1 was the classic seating arrangement. The hinged cover was replaced by rising doors.

Other design features that served to reduce weight ^[6] :

• the body is made as carbon fiber monocoque ;
• lack of power steering;
• carbon and ceramic brake discs;
• electrical wiring is made on thin aluminum wires;
• lack of power windows (manual raising and lowering);
• lack of side mirrors - the panorama of the side rear view is transmitted through video cameras. The cameras are mounted on the door;
• glass in the doors made of polycarbonate;
• narrow-profile front tires - 115/80 R15;
• narrow-profile rear tires - 145/55 R16;
• seat frame made of carbon fiber
• a modified design of doors opening upwards ( seagull wings ) is applied. A feature of the design for opening doors is that one hinge is on the roof, and the other is on the door pillar near the hood. In classic gull wings, both hinges are on the roof of the car ^[7] ;

The XL1 has a 7-speed automatic clutch robotic gearbox.

The hybrid power plant is represented by a two-cylinder turbodiesel and an electric motor. The electric motor is structurally built in place of the flywheel and is both a starter and a generator.

Characteristics of the hybrid installation ^[6] :

• Diesel (turbocharged)
  • number of cylinders - 2
  • working volume - 800 cm³
  • power - 48 hp
  • maximum torque - 120 N • m at 4000 rpm
• Electric motor
  • power - 27 hp
  • maximum torque - 100 N • m at 2000 rpm
• Power supply
  • Source type - Sanyo lithium-ion batteries
  • Battery capacity - 5.5 kW • hour
  • Cruising range on batteries - 50 kilometers
  • Battery recharge - from household power
• Fuel tank capacity - 10 liters
• CO ₂ emissions of 21 grams / km
• Cruising range - 500 kilometers

Volkswagen Group management did not hide the fact that the development and production of the XL1 is not a commercially viable project.

The introduction of new technologies and increasing the prestige of the concern, the engineers of which were able to solve complex technical problems ^[6], were put at the head of the project to create a supereconomic car.

In this regard, the total production of XL1 amounted to only 250 cars, of which 50 cars were left for research needs of the concern itself, and the remaining 200 cars were put up for sale at a cost of 111,000 euros on the European market. Retail sales began in Germany in June 2014 ^{[2] [8]} .