Goodbye VW Bulli EV Van, Hello 313 mpg XL1

October 3rd, 2012 by Chelsea

Hippies, hipsters, and surfers are mourning the killing off of the Bulli EV Van, a version of the classic Volkswagen Type 2 bus. But fear not, as Volkswagen “has confirmed that the 313 mpg XL1 (pictured above) will debut sometime next year,” according to Gas2.

The XL1 is a diesel-electric hybrid, with a 27 horsepower electric motor and 48 horsepower two-cylinder diesel engine, is capable of a range between 261 to 313 mpg. This ride is clearly meant for leisure cruisin’ — not hot roddin’.

The XL1 will be on the market in 2013 with limited availability.

Image Source: Gas2

Keep up to date with all the hottest cleantech news by subscribing to our (free) cleantech newsletter, or keep an eye on sector-specific news by getting our (also free) solar energy newsletter, electric vehicle newsletter, or wind energy newsletter.

Tags: diesel electric hybrids, diesel electric vehicles, volkswagen, Volkswagen Bulli EV Van, Volkswagen XL1, VW EV

About the Author

Chelsea is a former newspaper reporter who has spent the past few years teaching English in Poland, Finland and Japan. When she wasn't teaching or writing, Chelsea was traveling Europe and Asia, sampling spicy street food along the way.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Stan-Soliday/100001473476146 Stan Soliday

Good writeup on the VW EV changes.

We think you mean: 261 to 313 mpg not mph.

EVsRock!
- http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
  
  thanks for the typo catch.
mk1313

range is miles per hour? Is that a range of miles or fuel efficiency equivalent of mpg?
- jonesey
  
  Click through to the original article, which Chelsea should have cut and pasted from more liberally. 261 to 313 mpg is the expected fuel efficiency. The article does not list the range.
  
  Anyway, VW lovers in the US have been waiting very patiently for a vehicle, ANY VW vehicle, that matches or improves upon the 50 mpg highway (on biodiesel made from used vegetable oil!) performance of the (discontinued in 2005) Golf and Jetta TDI. Still waiting….
  
  We’re also waiting for ANY vehicle from VW that matches or improves upon the features of the (discontinued in 2003) Eurovan. Rear seats that face each other, pop-top with bed for camping, 22 mpg on the highway. Still waiting….
  
  Sometimes I think VW just doesn’t want to sell vehicles in the US.
  - mk1313
    
    Not just VW. Lot of interesting vehicles coming out in asia and europe not available here as well as other technologies. Usually because our technical specifications are stuck in the past and it costs a lot to re-certify here when we should just be accepting the better european standards.
    - Bob_Wallace
      
      What are the differences between US and European standards?
      
      Is there any ongoing activity to make them the same? It would seem like car manufactures would want unified standards as it would help them cut development costs.
      - mk1313
        
        The European requirements are for the most part more stringent than the US. No, there is no activity to unify the standards, it’s pretty much a turf war. It’s actually pretty stupid.