Robert Llewellyn takes a first drive in the electric version of the VW UP!
Also includes extensive pondering on the 'Yorkshire connection' as regards the time honoured phrase 'aye -up.'
Fully Charged – VolksWagen e-UP! [VIDEO]
New season of Fully Charged – Volkswagen XL1 [VIDEO]
Robert Llewellyn test drives 'the most fuel efficient production car in the world' according to VW.
Volkswagen made big claims about the efficiency of their purpose-built XL1 diesel-hybrid. They claimed the car was good for 314 mpg, which equates to 0.9 l/100km in the Metric system.
However, at a test drive event organized by VW last July, a handful of journalists were given the chance to drive the mid-engined XL1 and results ranged from 160 to 200 mpg.
Protean & FAW-VW China to Develop RWD In-Wheel Motor System
Protean Electric has announces a partnership with FAW-VOLKSWAGEN (China) to develop an all new electric propulsion system that will include Protean Electric's in-wheel motors with intent towards a demonstration vehicle program and production.
FAW-VW will create an all-new rear-wheel drivetrain for a pure Electric Vehicle (EV) based on the new Bora compact sedan, utilizing two Protean in-wheel motors. This cooperation began several months ago and so all bench testing, engineering calibration and on site application support is expected to be completed within a year. Protean Electric will also assist FAW-VW in the development of safety and vehicle controls that can be applied to additional vehicle programs.
"Protean Electric is very pleased and honored to be working with FAW-VW. Our involvement with this prestigious automaker shows that Protean Electric is continuing to serve as a valuable resource for OEMs as they develop New Energy Vehicle programs," says Kwok-yin Chan, CEO of Protean Holdings Corp. "This is a two-phase project that will capitalize on the torque and packaging freedoms that Protean Drive™ can bring to an automaker. Our technology will return the space to the new Bora vehicle platform that was formerly occupied by an in-board motor and powertrain."
Protean raised $84 Million in VC funding last year and moved their operation to Liyang, Jiangsu Province, China.
VW XL1 hits the streets of New York with $145,000 price tag
New Yorkers got a glimpse of the future this week, as the Volkswagen XL1 arrived in the City as part of a month-long American tour that took in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and the Big Apple.
The XL1, which looks like it could have driven off the set of a sci-fi movie, is the most fuel-efficient production car in the world, with a European combined fuel consumption rating of 261 mpg and CO2 emissions of 21 g/km. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, this two-seater can also cover up to 31 miles as a zero-emissions electric vehicle.
To achieve this incredible fuel economy, Volkswagen engineers married an incredibly efficient, diesel-electric plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain with a lightweight carbonfiber structure and the best aerodynamics of any production car in the world. The XL1 weighs just 1753 pounds, has a coefficient of drag of just 0.189, and uses a 48-horsepower two-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injection TDI® Clean Diesel engine that is mated to a 27-horsepower electric motor, a seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a 5.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. Thanks to this formula, this super-efficient Volkswagen can cruise at a constant 62 mph while using just 8.3 horsepower. In all-electric mode, the XL1 requires less than 0.1 kWh to cover more than 0.6 miles (one kilometer).
The 261 mpg fuel consumption figure is a record for a production car, showing that Volkswagen is in the automotive industry’s technical vanguard. The XL1 also has a top speed of 99 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 12.7 seconds.
Conceptually, the XL1 represents the third evolutionary stage of Volkswagen’s 1-liter car strategy. At the start of this current millennium, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch—currently Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG—formulated the visionary goal of producing a practical car that had a combined fuel consumption of one liter per 100 km (235 mpg). In the two-seat XL1, this vision has become reality.
Despite the tremendous efficiency of the XL1, the engineers and designers successfully came up with a body design that delivers more everyday utility than the two previous prototypes. In the L1, the 1-liter car that was shown in 2002 and 2009, the driver and passenger sat behind each other for optimal aerodynamics; in the XL1, the two occupants sit slightly offset, side by side, almost like a conventional vehicle.
The XL1 is 153.1 inches long, 65.6 inches wide, and just 45.4 inches tall. By comparison, a Volkswagen Polo is slightly longer (156.3 in) and wider (66.2 in), but is significantly taller (57.6 in). Even a purebred sports car like today’s Porsche Boxster is 5.1 inches taller. Just 250 XL1s will be produced at the Volkswagen factory in Osnabrück, Germany, priced at approximately $145,000.
XL1 SPECIFICATIONS
Body Carbonfiber reinforced polymer monocoque and panels
Length x width x height 153.1 in x 65.6 in x 45.4 in
Wheelbase 87.6 in
Drive system Plug-in diesel hybrid, rear-wheel drive
Engine TDI Clean Diesel, two cylinder
Capacity 830 cc
Output 48 hp, 89 lb-ft
Electric motor 27 hp, 103 lb-ft
System output 68 hp, 103 lb-ft
Transmission Seven-speed DSG automatic
Battery type 5.5 kWh lithium-ion
Weight 1753 lb
Performance/fuel economy
Max speed 99 mph (electronically limited)
European fuel consumption 261 mpg
C02 emissions 21 g/km
EV range 31 miles
EV/TDI range More than 310 miles (10 liter fuel tank)
VW e-Up priced from £19,250 [VIDEO]
Volkswagen has opened order books in the UK for the new all-electric VW e-Up, pricing the model from £19,250. That figure includes a £5000 government grant.
The e-up! is powered by a 60 kw electric motor with maximum torque of 210 Newton meters is available immediately with the first revolution. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h within 14 seconds and reaches a top speed of 135 km/h.
The lithium-ion battery integrated in the underfloor area has a total energy storage capacity of 18.7 Kilowatt-hours (kWh); this means that the car can cover up to 150 km (per NEDC) on a single charge thanks to its low vehicle weight of 1,185 kg.
Deliveries of the first e-Ups are expected from February. A three-year warranty is standard, which can be extended up to five years. The battery warranty is eight years / 100,000 miles.
VW Shows 214 mpg Twin Up! XL1 Based Hybrid Concept @ Tokyo
Volkswagen introduced the XL1, the world's most fuel-efficient production car, to the streets in 2013. This plug-in diesel hybrid for two people is being produced in a limited volume and has a European combined fuel consumption figure of 261 mpg as well as a carbonfiber body and chassis.
Now, Europe's largest carmaker is applying the experience it gained from this technological showpiece and is applying it to a high-volume production vehicle. Volkswagen is presenting this new car at the Tokyo Motor Show: a plug-in hybrid version of the up!, called the twin up! concept car. This four-seater shares certain parts of its drive system with the XL1-including its diesel engine, electric motor, and DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Compact hybrid system
Since all new Volkswagen vehicles are configured to accept alternative drive systems as well as conventional ones, it was easy to install the compact plug-in hybrid system in the twin up!. The only modification made in the production version was to lengthen the extremely short front overhang by 1.2 inches. The twin up!'s 55 kW (75 PS) drive unit-consisting of a 35 kW (48 PS) 0.8-liter TDI Clean Diesel engine, a 35kW electric motor, a seven-speed DQ200 DSG transmission, and the power electronics-is mounted at the front of the car. Installed at the back, behind the rear seats and under the trunk, is the "fuel storage system": an 8.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, the 12-volt battery for the electrical system, and an 8.7-gallon fuel tank.
Maximum efficiency
The car attains impressive efficiency thanks to a combination of good aerodynamics (0.30 Cd), a low unladen weight of 2657 pounds, lightweight plug-in drive components, and low rolling resistance 165/65 R15 tires. In all-electric model, for example, the twin up! has a driving range of 31 miles. In the "New European Driving Cycle"-the standard testing and comparison driving cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles in Europe-the concept car returns a sensationally low fuel consumption figure of 214 mpg, which equates to CO2 emissions of just 27 g/km.
The twin up! highlights the fact that efficiency and driving fun will not be mutually exclusive in the future. In the city, in electric mode, the twin up! accelerates from 0 to 37 mph in 8.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 78 mph. In hybrid mode, the car delivers 159 pound-feet of torque, a high number for such a small car. Out of town, the twin up! goes from 0 to 62 mpg in 15.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 87 mph.
Plug-in hybrid concept in detail
Two-cylinder TDI. The TDI produces its peak power of 35 kW from just 830 cc. The two- cylinder TDI was derived from a common rail four-cylinder, 1.6-liter diesel engine and has a bore spacing of 88 mm, with a bore and stroke of 81.0 by 80.5 mm. The XL1's engine also shares key internal modifications for reducing emissions, which include specially formed piston recesses for multiple injection and individual orientation of the injection jets. The common-rail diesel's smooth running properties were transferred to the two-cylinder engine, aided by a balancer shaft that is driven by and turns at the same speed as the crankshaft.
An exhaust gas recirculation system, an oxidation catalytic converter, and a diesel particulate filter are used to reduce tailpipe emissions.
Hybrid module. The hybrid module is located between the TDI engine and the seven-speed DSG transmission: it consists of an electric motor and a clutch, integrated in the DSG housing in place of the usual flywheel. The electric motor is supplied with energy from the 8.6 kWh lithium-ion battery. The power electronics, which operate at 308 Volts, manage the flow of high-voltage energy between the battery and the electric motor and convert direct current to alternating current.
Order under the hood. The engine compartment of the twin up! is completely covered. All service access points are in maintenance-friendly locations. A matte black engine compartment cover with acoustic insulation organizes all the recognisable components. The power electronics, and the service access located across from it, are integrated in a high-gloss black band, which also functionally partitions the engine compartment. An aluminium- look central capsule unites design themes from the world of combustion engines and electric motors, where the electric elements are coded in the colour blue.
Interplay of drive modes. As previously noted, the electric motor can power the twin up! for distances of up to 31 miles and to a top speed of 78 mph. In electric mode, the TDI engine is decoupled from the drivetrain and is shut off. Meanwhile, the clutch on the gearbox side remains closed, and the seven-speed DSG is fully engaged. Provided that the battery is sufficiently charged, the driver can choose when and where the twin up! should be driven electrically by pressing the e-mode button. Restarting the TDI engine is a very smooth process. While driving, the electric motor's rotor is sped up and is very quickly coupled to the clutch in a process known as "pulse starting". This accelerates the diesel engine to the required speed and starts it, so the driver hardly notices the transition.
Energy and drive management. When the twin up! is braked, the electric motor operates as a generator; its braking energy is used to charge the battery under regeneration. In certain operating conditions, the load of the TDI engine can be shifted so that it operates at its most favorable efficiency level. The gears in the DSG transmission are also always selected with the aim of minimizing energy usage.
The engine controller regulates the entire energy and drive management system based on the specific load demanded by the driver. Parameters flowing into this control system include the accelerator or e-pedal position, engine load, energy supply, and mix of kinetic and electric energy, so that the system always uses the optimal type of propulsive power.
BMW Joins VW in Backing Germany’s 1 Million Electric-Car Goa
BMW backed the German government’s goal to have 1 million electric cars by 2020 on the country’s roads, a week after Volkswagen said the target is achievable under broader terms for alternative drives.
Developing the European Union’s electric-vehicle market will need the backing of authorities, though official support in the bloc is lagging behind initiatives in the U.S. and China, BMW Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer said today in a speech at an industry conference in Munich.
“I hope the ongoing discussions between national governments, the European Parliament and the European Commission lead to a package that’s viable,” Reithofer said at the conference sponsored by Handelsblatt newspaper. “At the moment, the commission’s proposals don’t offer incentives to speed up introduction of alternative drives.”
Carmakers are promoting electric-powered models to comply with tightening regulations that apply to their fleets’ emissions across the globe. Munich-based BMW, the world’s biggest maker of luxury vehicles, is putting the 34,950-euro ($48,200) all-electric i3 city car into showrooms in Germany next month.
VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said last week that the Wolfsburg, Germany-based manufacturer, Europe’s largest volume carmaker, will “contribute” to the German goal for electric vehicles to play a larger role in the market by 2020. Authorities’ plans are feasible as long as they include plug-in hybrids, which can switch between rechargeable battery power and conventional combustion engines, as the models offer the biggest market potential, he said.
Volkswagen outlined plans in September to offer as many as 40 electric or hybrid models in the event that demand for low-emission cars takes off. The manufacturer will produce 14 vehicles with alternative drive through next year after introducing electric versions of the Golf hatchback and Up! city car at the Frankfurt auto show last month. VW also showed new plug-in hybrid versions of the Porsche brand’s Panamera four-door coupe and Audi’s A3 compact.
Purely or partly battery-powered vehicles accounted for 4,157 new car registrations in Germany in 2012, about twice as many as the year before, according to the VDA auto-industry association. Germany’s new car market amounts to about 3 million vehicles a year.
Volkswagen’s e-Up! went on sale in Germany this month for 26,900 euros. The model is “deliberately positioned” against BMW’s i3, Rudolf Krebs, head of electric-powertrain technology at VW, said on Sept. 4.
BMW presented the i3 at the Frankfurt show, as well as a plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle. Reithofer reiterated today that the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will be added to BMW’s lineup in 2014.
VW Says Germany’s 1 Million Electric-Car Goal Achievable
Volkswagen says the German government’s goal to have 1 million electric cars on the country’s roads by 2020 can be achieved if partly battery-powered cars like hybrids are taken into account.
“We will make our contribution toward this goal,” Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said today at a panel discussion at a ceremony near chemical producer BASF SE’s headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
Plug-in hybrids “offer the biggest market potential,” and should help with a roll out of electric mobility on a larger scale, Winterkorn said.
The CEO reiterated Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen’s plan to offer as many as 40 electric or hybrid models in the event that demand for low-emission cars takes off. The manufacturer will produce 14 vehicles with alternative drive through next year after introducing electric versions of the Golf hatchback and Up! city car at the Frankfurt auto show last month. Volkswagen also showed new plug-in hybrid versions of the Porsche brand’s Panamera four-door coupe and Audi’s A3 compact.
VW’s move echoes initiatives by peers such as Nissan and General Motors to promote purely electric and hybrid cars, which help automakers comply with tightening fleetwide emission regulations across the globe.
VW’s e-Up! went on sale in Germany this month for 26,900 euros ($37,000). The model is “deliberately positioned” against the battery-powered i3 city car that Munich-based BMW is bringing out, Rudolf Krebs, head of electric-powertrain technology at VW, said on Sept. 4.
BMW, the world’s biggest luxury-vehicle manufacturer, presented the i3 in Frankfurt last month, as well as a plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle. The i3, priced at 34,950 euros, will enter showrooms in Germany in November.
Plug-in hybrids have the most potential and BMW plans to eventually offer one in every model line, Herbert Diess, the automaker’s development chief, said in an interview last month. Cars with electromobility will make up 5 percent to 10 percent of the market by 2020 from well under 1 percent now, Diess said.
Other alternative-drive vehicles shown at the Frankfurt auto show included an all-electric Mercedes-Benz B-Class crossover from Daimler that will use a drivetrain supplied by Palo Alto, California-based Tesla Motors, and a hybrid coupe prototype from Volvo Car Group.
VW working on Ducati powered XL Sport Project
Volkswagen really don't seem to 'get it'! The chairman of the supervisory board at Volkswagen Group, Ferdinand Piëch, revealed during a lecture at the Vienna University of Technology that VW are working on a racing version of the XL1 to be powered by a 1.2 Liter two cylinder Ducati 1199 Panigale R superbike engine.
Instead of ditching the XL1's 47 hp two-cylinder diesel engine and showcasing their recently launched EV strategy by installing a high performance 200 kw electric motor into the low drag carbon fiber XL1 chassis, something that might give a Tesla Roadster a runs for it's money, VW decide to stay old school and take a huge step backwards by off-loading the XL1's entire hybrid system to bring the XL Sport's down to 795 kg.
Not only does the 190 hp / 123 Nm Ducati motorcycle engine has less power and torque than a standard Tesla Roaster, and significantly less than a Roadster Sport (300 hp / 400 Nm) but the V-Twin's peak torque is at 9,000 rpm instead of from 0 rpm like the Tesla. While the XL Sport may have a weight advantage over a Roadster (1,235 kg), it'll still be significantly slower 0-100 km/h and will be about as technically advanced as a motorcycle engine powered Locost Britsh kit car, or even the Piontek Sportech kit car chassis the Tesla powertrain was originally developed in.
VW announce plans to electrify 14 models by 2014 possibly up to 40
Amazing how some companies change their tune. Only as recently as 2009 Dr Winterkorn himself said that EVs won't have a majority share in the market for another 15-20 years. Yet within 5 years they're planning a total of 14 models from several Group brands with electric or hybrid drive technology. If there is sufficient demand, Dr Winterkorn says up to 40 new models could be fitted with alternative drivetrains.
The Volkswagen Group has set its sights on global market leadership in electric mobility. "We are starting at exactly the right time. We are electrifying all vehicle classes, and therefore have everything we need to make the Volkswagen Group the top automaker in all respects, including electric mobility, by 2018", Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, said on the eve of the 65th International Motor Show in Frankfurt am Main.
Winterkorn is convinced that Volkswagen is strongly positioned: "We have the most comprehensive approach to tomorrow's mobility. From highly-efficient, eco-friendly diesel, gasoline and natural gas-fuelled engines to classical hybrids, purely battery-driven vehicles and plug-in hybrids - no other automaker can match the broad range we have to offer." The company wants to win new customers with electric vehicles that are technically mature, practical in everyday use, safe and affordable, and is showcasing models such as the all-electric e-up! and e-Golf as well as the Audi A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid and the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, also a plug-in model, at the auto industry’s leading motor show.
According to Winterkorn: "The electric car cannot be a compromise on wheels, it must convince customers in every respect." He said that environmental compatibility and sustainability were increasingly becoming the main purchasing criterion: "From the zero-emission city car, through the plug-in hybrid all-rounder to the three-liter sports saloon: It is our customers who decide for themselves just how much e-mobility they want." He went on to say that electric-drive vehicles were a key building block for achieving the ambitious climate protection targets, and that the plug-in hybrid had the greatest market potential.
Initially, a total of 14 models from several Group brands will be available with electric or hybrid drive technology by 2014. If there is sufficient demand, up to 40 new models could be fitted with alternative drivetrains. Winterkorn underscored that Volkswagen had placed electric mobility "at the center of the Group": "We have developed the know-how for electric motors and battery systems at our own components plants, we have recruited 400 top experts for electric traction and qualified almost 70,000 development, production and service employees in this new technology – the biggest electrification training program in our industry."
The Volkswagen Group invests over seven billion euros in research and development each year. A significant share is spent on developing technologies and components for electric mobility – more than in any other field.
The key to rolling out electric mobility swiftly and efficiently across all brands and vehicle classes is the modular toolkit systems which from the start have been designed for assembling electric drives. Production in Bratislava, Puebla, Wolfsburg, Leipzig or Ingolstadt can now respond flexibly and at low risk to demand as it arises and can reduce both weight and costs through the use of proven components.
According to Winterkorn, anyone who genuinely takes ecological responsibility seriously goes one step further: "We must have a holistic mindset and a comprehensive approach to mobility – from generating energy through development, production, retail and vehicle operation right down to recycling. Our clear goal, therefore, is to lead with holistic, modern mobility concepts."
In Europe, Volkswagen Group brands currently offer 420 model variants with maximum CO2 emissions of 130 grams per kilometer, 302 models emitting a maximum of 120 g/km, 50 models emitting up to 100 g/km and 23 models emitting 95 g/km or less. The Volkswagen XL1 plug-in hybrid has the lowest emissions. The world's most efficient series production vehicle has CO2 emissions of 21 g/km, consumes 0.9 liters of fuel and has a range of 500 kilometers, making it the company's technological spearhead.
