Volkswagen recently showcased a concept car dubbed the Formula XL1 – a cool green ride packing an 1.0-liter engine.
Rumors started to make the rounds that Volkswagen was going to make a production run of road-going models based on the concept. Many dismissed such talk as pure speculation, but now photos have surfaced showing the road-going prototype in testing on ice.
The concept car reportedly uses a 1-cylinder TDI diesel engine along with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.
The concept is also equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and promises 235 miles per gallon.
However, we still don’t know exactly what powertrain the production version of the car will ultimately utilize.
Other Formula XL1 key concepts? Small size and light curb weight of only 1753 pounds. Clearly, any vehicle that uses electricity and batteries for motivation is able to drive further when it is lighter and more aerodynamic. The car said to be about the size of the VW Pol, which measures 1462 mm high, and rides on a 2470 mm wide wheelbase (The Formula XL1 is 1682 mm wide and 3970 mm long).
While there are some green vehicles that use electric drive trains which are actually quite sporty and offer impressive performance, the XL1 will not be one of those sporty green vehicles. Indeed, reports indicate the car will have a top speed of 75 mph and will need a sloth-like 32 seconds to go from a stop to 50 mph. That will make your average Prius owner look like John Force next to the XL1.
