Sep 12, 2013

Another Brick in the Wall?

vw1_XL1 Fuel efficiency geeks have redefined the term “1 liter” car to mean “the amount of fuel needed to travel 100 kilometers.” If you know me, you know I love this definition. The VW folks are doing everything they can to make motorcycles seem as practical as fingernail extensions, buggy whips, and analog tape or vinyl. The newest, ready-for-production version of the VW hyper-efficient car, the XL1, knocks out 261 mpg with 0-60 “performance” of 11.5 seconds. With a 47-hp, 800-cc two-cylinder “power plant,” the XL1 is no muscle car, but it does have a top speed of 99mpg. You can read more about this state-of-automotive-engineering’s-art from Car and Driver Magazine here: Volkswagen XL1 Concept.

I want one. It’s hard to imagine a two-wheeled vehicle being able to compete in this sort of high-efficiency market, but it would be cool if it happened.

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