Volkswagens 170 mpg car | Frankfurt Auto Show 2009 – CNET Reviews
In 2002, Volkswagen designed a concept car that could go 100 kilometers on 1 liter of fuel, equivalent to about 235 mpg. This year, Volkswagen shows off the second generation of the 1 liter concept, the L1, with the intention of production by 2013. Using an extremely light and aerodynamic body and a diesel-electric parallel hybrid power train, the new L1 falls short of its fuel efficiency goal, requiring 1.38 liters of diesel to cover 100 kilometers, or 170 mpg. Still, not bad.
That’s odd, it looks like a fancy coffin.
Death panel personnel transporter
Unfortunately none of these concept cars make it to the show room floor. After the accountants are done with the plans you are left with just another boring sedan.
There is a diminishing return on high MPG cars. So you are correct, 170mpg is fine. For example, you save a lot more money going from 18 to 25 than from 170 to 235.
That is one of the reasons Cash-4-Clunkers targets low MPG cars only.
Not sure why they went with diesel-electric hybrid instead of straight diesel… probably emissions-related, like all other performance and fuel-economy-killing “features.”
Looks like the extra weight in drivetrain and safety cost them a “pretty penny” in fuel economy. Oh well, the cost of progress, I guess.
Good to see the effort and the “intent” to produce, anyway.
A very interesting post. I read a paper (by an American engineer, as it so happens) 25 years ago, predicting that this would happen, hybridized diesel electric passenger cars. His arguments were thermodynamic, not economic.
Hybrids like this are very difficult to measure for fuel economy, because they do not use any standardized mileage tests.
The first few miles, the car gives you infinite MPG, since they are only running on electricity from the batteries, and the fuel engine is not being used at all.
As the batteries deplete, the engine starts up and provides mixed power as needed to supplement the batteries.
When the batteries are drained, the fuel engine does all the work.
So mileage might be better metered like this:
– First 40 miles = infinite MPG
– First 80 Miles = 110 MPG
– First 120 Miles = 60 MPG
– Miles above 120 mile = 40 MPG
(Of course, the infinite MPG isn’t true if you calculate the cost of electricity used to charge the batteries and adjust to the equivalent of 1 Gallon of fuel.)
A good example of this problem measuring MPG is when the Chevy Volt was announced a couple of months ago, quoted to do 230MPG. Some math geeks figured out that that mileage was only true if you drove exactly 117 miles or something like that. Any more and the mileage plummeted.
#7
I’m sure the mileage it’s not counted like that. Usually hybrids are not plug-ins, meaning that you can’t start with a “full” battery. Sure, you must have some charge in it to kickstart the engine, but afterward it must be relying solely on it’s diesel engine, and braking power to replenish it.
Maybe we should change from mpg to mpw (miles per watt). Then you just figure the amount of energy per gallon for your liquid fuel and convert.
Car isn’t going to make it into production. I’m 99% sure of that 🙂 Dream on.
If they make anything like that gets 170 MPG and doesn’t have the downside of a $300 electric bill per month and doesn’t cost $50,000 I’d buy one.
They need to make the $15,000 car that gets 150 MPG for light commuter travel.
No, I’d never drive anything small like that on the highway at 70 MPH because I don’t want to die but being in city traffic would be fine.
It’s funny, and a little sad, that tiny Aptera has VW, a gigantic international corporation, so thoroughly humbled in the high MPG car arena. The aptera even seats three rather than 2, and is already in partial production. Oh, and it looks pretty, rather than looking like a glass hot dog.
http://www.aptera.com
Not too worry… VW has stated that they want to “Americanize” their line in an effort to boost sales.
An overpriced 25 mpg version of this is on the way!
A little too streamlined. Bet it’ll roll over real easy, when it’s smacked into sideways. Why must the wheels be inside the body? An outboard wheel design, would make it more stable. And not add that much more air resistance. Is it that critically to reduce the drag, that safety is forfeit? And I can’t see the inline cockpit seating arrangement catching on. Auto makers are all about coming out with these obvious rejects, they know will never be mass produced.
They’re probably outsourcing their concept car designs to some of these Fantasy Car makers, that recreate the Batmobile and BTTF Delorian. Want to see some weird designs, check out the jayohrberg.com “Hollywood Cars” website.
Glenn E. said, “A little too streamlined. Bet it’ll roll over real easy, when it’s smacked into sideways. ”
If the center of gravity is kept low enough, there is no reason why this vehicle couldn’t be as stable as an ordinary looking sedan.
When your SUV or truck tips over when you hit a curb, it’s the high center of gravity that’s the problem. Any drag from the brick-like aerodynamics really isn’t going to help keep it upright.
If anything, the good aerodynamics of the VW should help with stability in crosswinds or rapid changes in direction.
Personally, I think the car looks really cool – hope they can manufacture it cheaply enough for it to be a big success.
I have a mountian rage to run this OVER many times, with a full load..
# 6 sargasso,
If possible can you provide the link to the paper or it’s reference?
Much obliged.