VW Unveils Up! Lite Concept at LA Show [96mpg diesel hybrid]

Green Car Congress ^ | 2 December 2009 | Mike Millikin

[wolf78]

Volkswagen staged the world premiere of the Up! Lite concept at the LA Auto Show. The new concept, based on Volkswagen’s New Small Family (the Up! models), incorporates a variation on the two-cylinder TDI hybrid powertrain from the L1 concept unveiled earlier this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. (Earlier post.)

The door, five-seat concept offers combined EPA cycle fuel consumption of 2.44 L/100km (96 mpg US), with 70 mpg highway. The poewrtrain comprises an 800cc, 2-cylinder TDI (turbo-diesel), electric motor and 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG). Combined with aerodynamics of Cd 0.237, the concept has reduced CO2 emissions to 65 g/km.

Many of the components of the 695 kg (1,500 lbs) Volkswagen are based on those of the future New Small Family, an entirely new model series that is already scheduled for market launch in initial countries at the end of 2011; Volkswagen executives at the show said the Up Lite! might be commercialized.

The newly designed 0.8 TDI two-cylinder turbo-diesel engine delivers power of 38 kW / 51 hp. Furthermore, the electric motor (10 kW)—designed as a pulse start module (starter, alternator and E-drive)—also reduces the load of the TDI, provides added propulsion (boosting) and works to recover kinetic energy (regenerative braking). During boost phases, the TDI and E-motor combine for a total power of 48 kW / 64 hp.

[...]

The car features a safety frame of aluminium, steel and carbon fiber. The Volkswagen concept has a top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) and accelerates to 100 km/h in 12.5 seconds.

[wolf78]

[wolf78]

ping!

[Red Badger]

Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

[Red Badger]

Looks like a Ford Focus ZX3.................

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

price @ sell?

[Red Dog #1]

And in other news...Democrats propose to raise diesel fuel taxes to $50 per gallon...

[willgolfforfood]

Two cylinder. 51 HP / 64 HP with the electric motor boost.

If you have an olympic bike rider on your tail, you are toast.

Double those numbers at 80 MPG, and maybe you have something.

[IamConservative]

Cool car. Roughly the displacement of one cylinder in a Duramax.

[Just another Joe]

The poewrtrain comprises an 800cc, 2-cylinder TDI (turbo-diesel)

A diesel motorcycle with a car body.

Whoda thunk it form VW?

If it's gonna be a motorcycle, at least give it two wheels.

[freekitty]

As I remember diesels cars suck in America.

[DemonDeac]

If I still lived in a city that would be the kind of thing i’d be interested in. I wish we had more diesel cars in the US. The ones i’ve rented overseas in the past few years have been fantastic.

[from occupied ga]

My idea of an economy car

[earlJam]

Nothing like German engineering!

German Engineering versus Arab Technology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d7Ms48DQX0

[org.whodat]

The original VW bug in the sixties ran 45 to 60 HP. You probably think no one bought them either.

[org.whodat]

“As in previous years, the ‘65 Beetle was powered by a 40-horsepower, four-cylinder, 1200cc (1.2-liter) aluminum-magnesium engine, which was linked to a four-speed manual transmission. The vehicle also came with independent front suspension and telescopic shock absorbers.” CarGurus’ Review

[BubbaBobTX]

Based on the weight of the car and performance of the TDI engine my guess is you would be pleastly surprised by the ability to go from 0 to 60. I have a Jetta TDI with a 100hp diesel engine that will out run many cars and still gets 40 mpg!!!!

[willgolfforfood]

I was there... driving the things, even.

That was before anybody's engine could get 1.25 HP per cubic inch, or more. This looks like it has considerably less power than even a Prius.

I haven't done the marketing research, and I'm sure VW has. If they think there is a market for that engine and drive train, more power to them. I guess I'm not in their target demographic.

[Grut]

The original VW bug in the sixties ran 45 to 60 HP.

In the Sixties, maybe. IIRC (not gonna look it up), it was 36hp in the late Fifties and may have been something like 25hp originally.

[CapnJack]

“As I remember diesels cars suck in America.”

Well, if you get a chance, take a VW TDI Jetta for a spin.
You will like it.

Plus the new BMW diesel is quite a machine.

The only diesel American car was that POS Chevy back in the ‘70s ... a true disaster.

Only problem for future diesels is that starting in 2011, all must use the Urea liquid for emissions. And Urea freezes at 15 degrees F. BIG PROBLEM.

[wolf78]

My idea of an economy car

I'm a bit more of a fan of Lotuses and Porsches, but yeah, I like the Corvette, too. But as a basic car I really love the VW concept: It seats 4, goes 0-60 in ~12 seconds (really not much slower than e.g. a Lincoln Town Car ;)), except for the Autobahn the top speed of 100 mph is enough (~100 mph is the cruising speed on most autobahns, but if you want to overtake, you go ~120), but it costs you a quarter of what it costs you to operate a present-day larger car. It just gets you there and you don't need to worry about it.