The future is looking green.
The world is going green and it’s good thing. The effect of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet couldn’t be more evident, and today conservation is of the upmost importance. Well, the folks over at Volkswagen look to do their part in decreasing their carbon footprint with their new “XL 1″ hybrid two-seater sports car, which is world’s the most fuel-efficient vehicle.
The XL 1 boasts a staggering 261 mile per gallon mileage, which in perspective would mean a drive from New York to Washington would only require one gallon (yes, just ONE) of diesel fuel according to insideclimatenews.org. According to them, America’s premiere electric card only gets half that much mpg with all the vehicles in country averaging about 36 mpg. Additionally, the XL 1 releases a meager 34 grams of carbon dioxide per mile compared to nearly 10 times that from the average car in America.
A great deal of the vehicle’s greenness can be attributed to it’s physical make up. For example, the car’s body is made of carbon fiber oppose to aluminum and steel as well as a thin carbon fiber paint job, decreasing the XL 1′s overall weight. Additionally, the vehicle’s tires are thinner than the average, large side mirrors are replaced by small cameras, manual steering oppose to power steering which weighs more, and a tiny chargeable plug-in battery which allows it to travel between 20 and 30 miles exclusively on a single charge.
There are a few performance pitfalls however: the air conditioner system which is usually found in the hood is located in the car’s dashboard and is smaller and weaker, the engine emits louder noises at lower speeds and the car unable to surpass 99 mph — so if you’re speed demon you might want to reconsider.
Additionally, the XL 1 is exclusive to the European market and there is currently no plans of a stateside release. Volkswagen spokesperson, Mike Gillis explained “The car was never designed for [the U.S. market.” This is largely due to certain design decisions which don’t adhere to U.S. safety standards, such as the sideview mirror’s camera replacement and it only having a single air bag. However, with the Obama administration’s focus on cutting climate-changing emissions by more than half in 2025 it’s safe to say we may see more green-leaning vehicles across the country in the near future.
Saving the planet comes with a price, just ask Spiderman and that price is $150,000 if you want to own one of these futuristic looking green machines. Volkswagen is only selling 250 models thus far (50 of which have been sold) so, many cool points to you if you get your hands on one of them.
Anyway, check out a few pictures and specs below.
– Khari Clarke (@KINGCLARKEIII)
