Volkswagen to Make Limited Edition of 1-Liter Car (282 MPG!) in 2010
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada 
on 07. 3.08
VW's 282 MPG Super Fuel Efficient Car
The 1-Liter car has been around in prototype form since 2002 and greens everywhere have been drooling at its 282 miles per gallon fuel economy (or 1 liter of gasoline per 100 kilometers, hence the name). VW has finally decided to make more and sell them, and a limited edition (estimated in the thousands) should start selling in 2010.
Volkswagen L1 Concept Car Technical Specs
The One-Liter car (or 1-Litre, over in Europe) weights only 660 pounds. The body is made from carbon composites and it is shaped to be extremely slippery, giving it a coefficient of drag of only 0.16 ("the average car comes in around 0.30 and the Honda Insight had a Cd of 0.25"). The prototype was powered by a 1-cylinder diesel engine, but the production model should have a 2-cylinder diesel (which means it could be powered by algae-biodiesel!), and maybe even a stop-start anti-idling feature (to cut the engine when the car is stopped).
Notice the shape. More cars should take design cues from this highly aerodynamic machine.
Volkswagen L1 Concept Safety Features
The car reportedly has anti-lock brakes, stability control and airbags. According to Canadian Driver, "Volkswagen says the One-Liter Car is as safe as a GT sports car registered for racing. With the aid of computer crash simulations, the car was designed with built-in crash tubes, pressure sensors for airbag control and front crumple zones."
Certainly more high-tech than the souped-down 1959 Opel T-1 that gets 376.59 MPG.
This is the interior of the prototype. The production model will no doubt be nicer.
1-Liter Car Speculative Pricing
Rumors put the price of the Volkswagen L1 at anywhere between "20,000 to 30,000 Euros (about $31,750 to $47,622)". But if oil prices keep climbing, that might be a bargain in 2010.
Volkswagen Green(er) Cars
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More Details: Volkswagen Turbo Diesel-Electric Hybrid Golf
Volkswagen Golf Turbo-Diesel Hybrid Too Expensive for Production
Volkswagen Sharan BlueMotion 7-Seater Has Better Fuel Economy than Most Cars in the U.S.
More on the One-Liter VW Car
Laugh at High Gas Prices With a 282-MPG VW
VW to relaunch 'one-litre' eco car
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