| Make
|
Volkswagen |
| Model |
L1 |
| Concept
year |
2009 |
| Production
year |
- |
| Engine |
0.8
litre, TDI + electric motor |
The Volkswagen L1 is a concept car which prides itself
on being one of the most fuel efficient vehicles on the
planet.
The 2009 Volkswagen L1 was a development of the Volkswagen
1-Litre concept car from 2002. However for the new vehicle
Volkswagen's designers have added a bit of flair to the
exterior design, while at the same time retaining the
aerodynamic teardrop shape and tandem seating layout of
the original.
Almost every element of the L1's design has been developed
to reduce the vehicles fuel consumption. The narrow design
with the passenger sitting behind the driver greatly reduces
drag, as do the coverings over the rear wheel openings.
The side mirrors have been replaced with tiny cameras
in order to clean up the air flow around the car.
To reduce the overall weight and further increase fuel
efficiency the bodywork of the 1L concept is formed from
carbon fibre and other lightweight composite materials.
Total weight for the VW L1 is a mere 380 kgs (838 lbs).
Powering the Volkswagen L1 concept is a 0.8 litre, two-cylinder,
turbodiesel engine aided by an electric motor. In normal
driving situations the electric motor can support the
TDI engine in conditions such as by electronic load point
shifting and in acceleration. If necessary - generally
during acceleration - the electric motor can supply 40
percent additional torque over the entire engine speed
range. Moreover, the E-motor can propel the L1 over short
distances by itself. In this case, an auxiliary clutch
decouples the TDI from the drivetrain.
The transmission is handled by a seven speed DSG (Direct
Shift Gearbox). The DSG was developed to include clutch
control for the hybrid module. Furthermore, individual
gear ratios have been optimized to attain responsive driving
performance despite the car's extremely low fuel consumption.
The top speed of the Volkswagen L1 is limited to 100 mph
(160km/h). This helps the 1L to achieve a staggering 189.6
mpg (1.38L/100km), while CO2 emissions are just 36 g/km.
Similar and related vehicles:
Volkswagen EcoRacer
Volkswagen Nanospyder
Volkswagen up!
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