Gas Mileage - I Knew We Had The Technology

How does 235 miles per gallon sound? Impossible you say? Think again.

According to Wired.com, VW's new "One Liter" car is bringing new meaning to the term fuel efficiency. The new concept car's body is made entirely of carbon fiber which allows for a total vehicle weight of only 660 pounds.

Originally scheduled to launch in 2012, VW has decided ready the vehicle for market 2 years ahead of schedule. "They'll probably be built in the company's prototype shop, which has the capacity to build as many as 1,000 per year. That's not a lot, but it's enough to help VW get a lot of attention while showing how much light weight and an efficient engine can achieve."

As fuel prices continue to soar this type of vehicle is a welcome addition to the road. The original concept car has a 1 cylinder, 8.5 horsepower engine but VW will probably add another cylinder to the production model which will surely cut fuel economy.





Here's the thing that always annoys me. Fuel economy is going to cost you. The One Liter is going to cost anywhere from $31,750 to $47,622. We need to make fuel efficient vehicles accessible to the masses if we are ever going to wean ourselves off of foreign oil. If only the upper-middle class to upper class can afford the vehicles, that is a small percentage of the cars on the road. But what about the new Smart car you say? Base models start out at about 12 grand. Yeah Ok, I'll give you that. But, you have to wait 9 months to get them. AND they aren't getting that great of gas mileage. 42mpg for the US models? The same cars are getting 70 mpg in Europe.



RJ Adams over at SparrowChat asks, "...why do foreign cars sold in America always produce poorer gas mileage figures than their European or Asian counterparts? The US Smart manages a figure over a third less, from the same 999cc turbo-charged engine?"

Very good question. I did some digging and it's true. Apples to apples Euro cars DO get better mileage. Is this due to the "imperial gallon" or are the cars in the US de-tuned in some way? Is it a conspiracy with the government and big oil? Adams says, "It makes no sense, unless one becomes incredibly cynical and dares to suggest a political element limiting the scope of non-American motor manufacturers?"

What about the EV1 from GM. That was a pretty big controversy. Some even called it a conspiracy. What about the VW 1.8 liter TDI? A car that was getting 50 mpg but they had to take it off the market a year ago to "re-engineer" it to conform to emission standards. No matter how you look at it. We DO have the technology to produce vehicles that get GREAT fuel mileage. Are we choosing NOT to make them? What are your thoughts?