This is an extreme example, but I can’t help but think car
companies can easily hit the 35 MPG mileage standards Obama is
about to lay out if the following is possible for a street ready
car. Volkswagen’s CEO, Martin Winterkorn recently confirmed the
company is working on a car that will get 235 mpg (1 liter per
100 kilometers) fuel economy. In 2002, VW showed its 1-Liter
concept car that achieved 264 mpg (0.89L/100km). The project was
cancelled in 2005 but VW has now revived it. How real is this?
VW now says a limited production car could be offered by 2010.
The VW 1-Liter, developed in a wind tunnel, has a very narrow
and very flat body configuration that necessitated tandem
seating for the two occupants. Measuring in at 4.1 feet wide,
11.4 feet long, and just over 3 feet tall, the car features an
amazing drag coefficient of just 0.159…even more wind-cheating
than the slippery GM EV1 electric car’s 0.19 Cd. With its 235
mpg fuel economy, it can travel 400 miles on its 1.7 gallon fuel
tank…all the while achi