Open up your mind and say, ahh...

EU And US Approve Google-Motorola Deal. Google has approval from the European Union and the U.S. Department of Justice to complete its acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Google’s newfound hardware toys puts in a plum position to battle on with rival Apple. –NS

iPad 3 Rumors: 4G Runners, 8-inchers. Sources have told the Wall Street Journal that Apple’s next iPad will run on AT&T’s and Verizon’s 4G networks. They’ve also heard from suppliers that Apple is testing a smaller iPad model with a 8-inch screen, that could compete with the Kindle Fire and Samsung’s line of 7-inch Galaxy Tabs (the newest of which Samsung announced yesterday). –NS

Hulu’s Original Series Premiers. Barely a week after Netflix launched “Lillyhammer,” its first original series, Hulu has premiered its own original show, “Battleground.” If Netflix wanted to break the TV model of releasing a show a week, Hulu, consistent with its existing content, wants to stick to a Tv-like weekly schedule.

–Updated 5:45 a.m. EST

Image: Flickr user dailylifeofmojo

Designing a new airliner is not an easy task. But the hard part isn’t necessarily just the engineering and the actual designing by itself. One of the most difficult aspects of developing a new airplane is talking with the airlines to find out what they want, then figuring out how to balance all of the requests and design an airplane that you can sell before it even flies.

Both Boeing and Airbus have felt the sting of unhappy customers in recent months after new airplane designs weren’t quite what the airlines were hoping for. In Boeing’s case the most public example was being stood up by cargo carrier Cargolux for the first delivery of the new 747-8 after negotiations over performance issues could not be resolved in time (they were resolved a few weeks later). With Airbus the battle has been with both Qatar Airways and Emirates about the planned design of the new A350-1000, which has yet to even fly.

Since the early days of commercial aviation, airplane makers have spent a lot of time talking with the airlines they hope will buy their airplanes. This was usually done as soon as it was time to put pencil to paper. An airline would publicly or privately say how great business would be if only they had an airplane could carry X number of passengers for a distance of Y, while needing Z horsepower (or pounds of thrust) to name just a few of the variables. It is then up to the airplane maker to work X+Y+Z = Airplane in a way that makes the different airlines happy.

In the 1930s Boeing and Douglas Aircraft (and others) were busy trying to stay one step ahead of the other in completing this equation. During the golden era of aviation, rapid design improvements meant airplanes were becoming obsolete every few years.

Today the stakes are even higher as the airlines spend many billions of dollars developing airplanes they hope will sell for several decades. And while the Douglas DC-3 is still in widespread use today, most of the airplanes of the 1930s were only sold for a few years before a new design came along.

With the new Airbus A350, the two customers with the most orders have been unusually public with their frustration in how the design has been changed recently.

“We want the original specification” Emirates president Tim Clark told Aviation Week. “I don’t remember that we wanted something new and I really wonder why they did not ask.”

Emirates and Qatar Airways are unhappy with recent design changes and they believe the newest version of the A350-1000 will be more expensive to operate and will be overweight compared to the airplane they were believed they were buying. With the list price of an A350-1000 at $300 million (.pdf), the airlines feel justified in complaining when each have more than 70 on order.

Qatar’s CEO Akbar Al Baker expressed his unhappiness at the recent Dubai airshow over problems with another Airbus order saying, “I think that Airbus still has to learn how to build aircraft.” Tempers cooled shortly after and Al Baker plunked down a few billion dollars worth of orders with the European airplane maker.

The A350 is expected to compete with the Boeing 777, an airplane that will also undergo design changes later this decade. The mostly composite design is expected to make its first flight in France sometime next year.

Image: Airbus

Volkswagen kicked off 2011 with the debut of the most fuel-efficient car ever, the XL1, a groundbreaking vehicle that showcases the future of individual mobility.

Powered by an 800cc TDI (common rail injection turbodiesel) engine and a small electric motor, the two-seat Volkswagen XL1 consumes just 0.9 liters diesel per 100 kilometers. That’s the equivalent of 261 mpg. The XL1 is a prototype, so of course you can’t buy one today. But it is an important shuttle to the future.

We need cars like this, and you will be able to buy them in the future. Today they are platforms for new ideas and testbeds for new technologies. They show what is possible.

The world of mobility is experiencing the most intensive upheaval since the first automobile was invented 125 years ago. Around the globe, there is a growing desire to finally free ourselves from the capricious price fluctuations of crude oil — a finite resource whose days are numbered. The desire to move beyond fossil fuels is intensified by a growing environmental awareness. Environmental awareness is not just a catchphrase or a passing trend. It is an integral part of today’s lifestyle. People are looking for solutions, whether they live in Boston, Berlin or Beijing. They want cars that are sustainable, fuel-efficient and affordable.

The auto industry is responding. We are relying on a strategy of downsizing gasoline and diesel engines, applying hybrid technologies and implementing pure electric drives in automobiles. Volkswagen will introduce its first electric vehicle in 2013. Initially, however, these electric cars will not be going it alone. So far, they have not proven to be practical for all driving needs.

Let’s take a look at the future: By 2020, we anticipate a global market share of 2-3 percent for battery electric cars. That’s roughly the market share hybrids have achieved in their first decade.

That leaves at least 97 percent of the market for other power options. To put it another way, between 55 million and 70 million of all cars sold annually between now and 2020 will have engines of various types. Internal combustion engines will remain dominant well into the next decade. That is why automakers are studying — in cars like the XL1 — what is feasible in terms of maximum fuel economy within the realm of conventional engines and hybrid drives. While we continue to examine other options, we are already planning an initial limited production run of the XL1 for the near future.

The XL1 shows what is feasible. It has a range of more than 1,000 km on just one 10-liter tank of fuel — the equivalent of 621 miles on 2.6 gallons. Extensive use of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials means it is extremely light, weighing just 1,749 lbs. Yet that same material — carbon fiber — ensures the safety cell is remarkably strong, creating a safe vehicle. The lithium-ion battery provides a range of up to 35 kilometers, about 22 miles, in pure electric mode – that is, with zero tailpipe emissions. Yet despite its efficiency and sustainability, the XL1 is fun to drive.

This remarkable prototype proves that we can have efficiency and sustainability without sacrificing the fun of driving that must be part of the future.

Top photo: VW executives with Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the board of Volkswagen AG, and the XL1 at its unveiling at the Qatar auto show. Winterkorn is fourth from the right, next to the car. (Volkswagen)

Volkswagen says the 261-mpg diesel-electric XL1 concept could see limited — very limited — production within two years.

The Germans unveiled the super-efficient Volkswagen XL1 at the Qatar auto show today, showcasing some of its most forward-thinking technology with a promise to offer the car in small numbers.

“We want to go into series production with this car starting in 2013,” VW Chairman Ferdinand Piëch told Automotive News Europe.

VW boss Martin Winterkorn said the car will be offered in Germany first, then throughout Europe. The United States and China “will follow at a later date,” he said.

We’ve heard this before, of course.

The XL1 is the most practical and refined of the company’s 1-liter cars, so named because the goal was to develop a car capable of traveling 100 kilometers on a liter of fuel (roughly 235 mpg). It is the third iteration of a project launched in 2002.

It features a 48-horsepower two-cylinder diesel engine displacing just 800 cc. It’s bolted to a seven-speed DSG gearbox and mated to a 27-horsepower electric motor drawing power from a lithium-ion battery of undisclosed size. The plug-in hybrid has an electric range of 21 miles and fuel consumption of just 0.9 liters per 100 kilometers, which comes to 261 mpg by our math. It emits 24 grams of CO2 per kilometer — compared to the 89 grams emitted by the Toyota Prius.

All that hardware is wrapped in carbon-fiber polymer bodywork attached to a carbon-fiber monocoque. Extensive use of aluminum, magnesium and other exotic materials keeps the weight to just 1,700 pounds.

When VW unveiled 1-liter cars in the past, it said the car could be built by 2012 or so. But cost has always been the limiting factor — these cars are chock-full of expensive technology and even more expensive materials.

But Piëch tells Automotive News that costs have come down significantly, making production feasible. For example, the carbon fiber body of the first-gen 1L car cost 35,000 euros (about $47,000). The body for the XL1 cost 5,000 euros (about $6,800). VW expects the lithium-ion battery to cost 250 to 300 euros ($410) by 2013.

That said, no one at VW would say what the XL1 will cost if and when it sees production. Ulrich Hackenberg, director of development for VW, said production could be limited to 100 vehicles to start.

It’s safe to say the car won’t be cheap, especially at volumes that low. But then this car almost certainly isn’t meant for the mass market. It will be a halo car, intended to show what is possible and showcase some of VW’s most advanced technologies and materials.

In that regard, it will be much like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf (and the amazing Porsche 918 plug-in hybrid, if it’s built) — cars with a small initial market but the potential to influence many subsequent models.

For example, the XL1’s drivetrain is a natural for the VW Polo since the two vehicles are roughly the same size. And it isn’t hard to imagine the XL1’s carbon polymer bodywork being used on the Audi eTron electric vehicle, or the R8 for that matter.

Although Winterkorn said the XL1’s initial production run will be “small,” Piech said the cars definitely will be offered for sale and not limited to test fleets or demonstration programs.

Images: Volkswagen

The mad scientists at Volkswagen have wheeled out a bullet-shaped diesel-electric plug-in hybrid that gets a stunning 261 mpg. VW claims it is the most fuel-efficient hybrid ever, and it shows what’s possible when you let your engineers run wild.

It is with supreme irony that the Germans will unveil the XL1 concept car at the Qatar Motor Show this week. The car, the latest in the company’s ongoing experiments with ultra-efficient vehicles, was born of the simple question, “Just how much could the energy consumption of cars be reduced if all the stops were pulled out for efficiency?”

This is a question Volkswagen chairman Dr. Ferdinand Piëch posed to his engineers almost a decade ago, and one automakers around the world are grappling with as they face tightening fuel economy and emissions regulations.

Piëch challenged his team to build a car capable of going 100 kilometers on a single liter of fuel — the equivalent of 235 mpg. VW’s been at it ever since, turning out concepts with stellar fuel economy but less-than-stellar practicality. The XL1 is the latest project, the one you’d most likely want to live with and the one most likely to see production.

“When the new millennium was ushered in, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch formulated the visionary goal of bringing to the market a production car that was practical for everyday use with a fuel consumption of 1.0 liter per 100 km,” the company said in a statement. “In the new XL1, Volkswagen is demonstrating that this goal is now within reach.”

The Volkswagen One-Liter concept got 235 mpg.

The XL1 is the most practical and refined of the so-called One-Liter cars. The first, the Volkswagen One-Liter Car, was a tandem two-seater that looked a bit like a Tylenol. It was a technological marvel when it appeared in 2002, with lots of carbon fiber, magnesium and other exotic materials. Power came from a tiny diesel engine good for 235 mpg. Efficient, yes, but completely impractical because it was absurdly expensive. Still, Piëch was confident the cost of the technology, and the exotic materials it featured, would tumble, and he suggested the car might see production by 2012.

The Volkswagen L1 Concept, being unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009.

Then came the Volkswagen L1 Concept, a definite step forward when it was unveiled in 2009. It was more refined, with a diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain. It was a little bigger than the One-Liter, with more power, superior performance and increased roominess. It wasn’t so futuristic, but still a bold redefinition of the term “car.” It was good for 1.38 l/100 km, which comes to 170.4 mpg. VW claimed the L1 emits just 36 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide. For the sake of comparison, the 2010 Toyota Prius emits 89 g/km.

And now we come to the XL1.

The coolest thing about this car is the drivetrain. The diesel-electric combo features a two-cylinder TDI engine with a displacement of just 0.8 liters. It’s essentially the company’s ubiquitous 1.6-liter engine cut in half, and it’s bolted to a seven-speed DSG gearbox. The engine is good for 48 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque.

The electric drivetrain sports a 20 kilowatt (27 horsepower) electric motor that draws power from a lithium-ion battery of undisclosed size. It’s a plug-in hybrid, and VW says the XL1 can go 35 kilometers (21 miles) in electricity alone.

This combination provides remarkable efficiency. Fuel economy is pegged at 0.9 liters per 100 kilometers, which comes to 261 mpg by our math. Emissions are just 24 grams of CO2 per kilometer. More remarkably, VW says the 1,700-pound XL1 can cruise at 62 mph on just 8.4 horsepower. That’s about half what the Golf TDI requires. Under electric power, the car needs less than 0.1 kilowatt-hour to go one kilometer.

Stomp on it and the electric motor assists the diesel engine in accelerating, and VW says the XL1 will do zero to 60 in 11.9 seconds. Top speed is limited to 100 mph.

The XL1 differs from its siblings in that it offers side-by-side seating, a nod to increased practicality. It’s also got proper doors instead of jet-like canopy. It’s still made of high-tech stuff including carbon fiber polymer parts attached to a Formula 1-style carbon fiber monocoque. That’s expensive stuff, but VW says it’s making progress bringing costs down through a patented production process it calls advanced resin transfer molding.

All told the car weighs about what a first-gen Honda CR-X HF weighed. There’s a lot of aluminum under the carbon-fiber bodywork, including the suspension components, brake calipers, shocks and other components. Other tasty bits include carbon fiber anti-roll bars, ceramic brake rotors and magnesium wheels.

This is one super-slick car, with a drag coefficient of 0.186 and a frontal area of 1.5 square meters. That makes it more aerodynamic than the General Motors EV1 but not quite so slippery as the Aptera Motors 2e. The car is 12.7 feet long and 5.4 feet wide, roughly the size of a VW Polo. It’s just 3.7 feet tall — roughly the same as the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.

Volkswagen has long hinted we could see a car based on a One-Liter model in showrooms, and it said something based on the L1 Concept shown 2009 might be available in 2013. But it seems unlikely we’ll see anything resembling this car anytime soon given the exotic (and expensive) materials and outlandish styling (which, frankly, we love). It’s more likely that we’ll see some of the technology underpinning the XL1 in production models as VW, like everyone else, scrambles to increase the fuel efficiency of its lineup.

Plug-in diesel hybrid Polo, anyone?

Images: Volkswagen