Audi and VW have had an unusual relationship with electricity. In 2008, both companies were publicly saying there was no future in electricity and that turbo diesel technology was much superior.
After a monumental recession, both companies have all the sudden showed us some interesting concepts they were working on. Audi stunned us with an e-tron all-electric coupe that would rival as R8. VW was a little more discreet with a modified Golf electric and highly streamed car it called the XL1.
The Geneva Auto Show. If you want a truly unique auto show that just doesn’t represent one market segment, as if often the case than the Geneva Auto Show is the one to attend. The Geneva Auto Show covers every angle of this planet and you will finally get to see those cars we just don’t get elsewhere. However, the mainstream carmakers are interesting to go and see because we can then finally see what they do abroad. Often time, carmaskers grace foreign shores with amazing cars they won’t import under dubious reasons.
Audi is bringing in a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its A3 it calls the A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid. This is nothing new, Audi has been showing yet another expression or extrapolation of what its e-tron platform could do. Essentially, this is a 156.81 mpg according to the European cycle standard.
Technically Speaking. The A3 uses a modified version of the VW 1.4-liter TSI four-cylinder engine matched to a 75 kilowatt electric motor with a total output of 204 HP and over 258 LB-Ft of torque with a six-speed ‘e-S tronic’ transmission.
As far as VW’s other streamlined car, the XL1 is a plug-in diesel that aims to achieve 261 mpg. How will it do this? With a particularly smooth aerodynamic drag of 0.189, the XL1 only weighs 1,752 lbs. With its .8L diesel engine using 2 cylinders can produce 47 HP with an extra 27 HP from the electric motor. The XL1 will also use the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. All of this gives you a top speed of 98 mph with a 0 to 62 mph in 12.7 seconds.
