At the Vienna motor symposium this week, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn announced that VW will start producing a range of plug-in hybrid vehicles starting 2013. The CEO did not divulge too many details about the models which VW is eying for the plug-in introduction.
In the Qatar auto show earlier this year, VW unveiled the XL1 concept plug-in car. The XL1 concept is a gull winged tandem two seater with carbon fiber chassis, two cylinder TDI engine which generates 48 horsepower, and an electric motor that produces 27hp. The lightweight of this vehicle helps to achieve up to 260mpg, while a typical automobile would require about 10 gallons of gasoline to travel 260 miles.
The XL1 will be a limited series production of about 100 in 2013, said Winterkorn in an interview to Automotive New Europe. The XL1 will be first made available in Germany, followed by the U.S. and China.
Source: CNet
