The in-your-face BMW i8 has become a poster child for an exotic looking hybrid product that should -- theoretically -- spice up a rather boring marketplace for alternative luxury products. But things are just about to get a bit more interesting now that it seems Volkswagen is jumping into the picture with two strong feet.
Spotted testing is the Volkswagen XL1, which was premiered at the Qatar Motor Show last year. It could be one of the greenest vehicles produced if it lives up to the concept's original direction. That would mean the XL1 would benefit from an 800cc, two-cylinder diesel motor that's coupled with a small electric powerplant.
Between its extremely lightweight build and frugal engines, the VW is said to achieve over 300 mpg. Obviously, this would be a groundbreaking product any way you look at it.
...Originally previewed by a concept at the Qatar Motor Show in 2011, the XL1 will become one of Volkswagen’s greenest models if it can recreate the figures achieved by the concept's diesel-electric set-up.
A 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine was mated to a 27bhp, electric motor helping to achieve figures of 313mpg and 24g/km of CO2. Volkswagen hasn’t said what will power the production car, but the diesel engine could be swapped for a petrol unit. The impressive fuel economy figures are likely to remain...
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