To answer a growing demand for effecient vehicles, Volkswagen introduced a new hybrid electric concept car to compete with electric vehicles like the Tesla Model S and hydrogen fuel-cell cars coming from General Motors and Honda. The Volkswagen XL1 averages an amazing 262 mpg, and although it may never hit streets in the United States, the technology behind the car could impact future Volkswagen vehicles.
The keys to the incredible mileage in the Volkswagen XL1 were reducing the weight of the vehicle and eliminating wind resistance. The XL1 only weighs 1,753 pounds -- that's more than a thousand pounds lighter than the Toyota Prius, which weighs in at 2,921 pounds.
The wheels on the Volkswagen XL1 are as thin as road bike’s and wrapped in custom Michelin rubber. The XL1 chassis is a single piece of molded carbon-fiber, and has a drag coefficient of only 0.189 – similar to a bumblebee.
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