Did the U.S. Gov’t Really Ban the Volkswagen XL1 for Being Too Efficient?

Over the past few days, the internet has been swarmed with reports of the U.S. banning the Volkswagen XL1 because it is too efficient. According to one source, the ban is happening “because oil profits are so high in the U.S. and the government doesn’t want such an efficient car to make customers aware that it’s possible to spend a lot less on gas than they do.”

This story is, of course, false. It’s just another wild conspiracy theory coming from some 40 year old man with coke bottle glasses, who is living in the basement at home with mommy.

But the conspiracy theory does raise an interesting question:

Would it even matter if the Volkswagen XL1 was banned?

In case you haven’t heard, the Volkswagen XL1 is a vehicle that was produced in Germany just last year, with only 250 in total going into production. James R. Healey of USA Today says, “It’s a spaceship-like, ultra-high-mpg, plug-in diesel-electric hybrid. VW used exotic, but obtainable materials and technologies to craft a mileage-above-all car.” According to reports, this diesel-electric plug-in hybrid can travel roughly 200 miles per gallon.

However, it is way overpriced, costing roughly $150,000. And even worse is the fact that it only has 48 horsepower and 89 pounds-feet of torque and takes a laughable 11.9 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour! With those types of numbers, a ban is completely unnecessary. No American would ever buy it anyway!

Adding to the absurdity of the conspiracy theory claims is this fact: America would never ban something that is too efficient because our country has so much invested in  Tesla. If you didn’t already know,  Tesla provides the world’s most efficient vehicle and operates off of NO gas. It can also travel well over 250 miles with a full charge.

In a recent Forbes article that named Tesla as the most efficient luxury car, the author says, “Starting at $57,400 and ranging in price all the way up to $105,400, it’s powered by a truly quick 435- horsepower electric powertrain. The car offers a choice of three different battery packs, each delivering progressively greater range and power, with a maximum driving distance on a charge claimed to be excess of 300 miles.”

So let’s get this straight… The American made Tesla operates off of NO gas, and it drives further and faster, while costing less money than the Volkswagen XL1. Obviously, this conspiracy theory is 100% false.