diff --git a/examples_src/vector-layer.js b/examples_src/vector-layer.js
index 390ffe8081..633825e3b2 100644
--- a/examples_src/vector-layer.js
+++ b/examples_src/vector-layer.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 goog.require('ol.FeatureOverlay');
 goog.require('ol.Map');
 goog.require('ol.View');
+goog.require('ol.format.GeoJSON');
 goog.require('ol.layer.Tile');
 goog.require('ol.layer.Vector');
-goog.require('ol.source.GeoJSON');
 goog.require('ol.source.MapQuest');
 goog.require('ol.style.Fill');
 goog.require('ol.style.Stroke');
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ var style = new ol.style.Style({
   })
 });
 var styles = [style];
+
 var vectorLayer = new ol.layer.Vector({
-  source: new ol.source.GeoJSON({
-    projection: 'EPSG:3857',
-    url: 'data/geojson/countries.geojson'
+  source: new ol.source.Vector({
+    url: 'data/geojson/countries.geojson',
+    format: new ol.format.GeoJSON()
   }),
   style: function(feature, resolution) {
     style.getText().setText(resolution < 5000 ? feature.get('name') : '');
diff --git a/externs/olx.js b/externs/olx.js
index 5cc76deff0..3591e56cc1 100644
--- a/externs/olx.js
+++ b/externs/olx.js
@@ -4883,9 +4883,11 @@ olx.source.TileWMSOptions.prototype.wrapX;
 /**
  * @typedef {{attributions: (Array.<ol.Attribution>|undefined),
  *     features: (Array.<ol.Feature>|undefined),
+ *     format: (ol.format.Feature|undefined),
+ *     loader: (ol.FeatureLoader|undefined),
  *     logo: (string|olx.LogoOptions|undefined),
- *     projection: ol.proj.ProjectionLike,
- *     state: (ol.source.State|string|undefined)}}
+ *     strategy: (ol.LoadingStrategy|undefined),
+ *     url: (string|undefined)}}
  * @api
  */
 olx.source.VectorOptions;
@@ -4907,6 +4909,25 @@ olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.attributions;
 olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.features;
 
 
+/**
+ * The feature format used by the XHR loader when `url` is set. Required
+ * if `url` is set, otherwise ignored. Default is `undefined`.
+ * `url`
+ * @type {ol.format.Feature|undefined}
+ * @api
+ */
+olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.format;
+
+
+/**
+ * The loader function used to load features, from a remote source for example.
+ * Note that the source will create and use an XHR loader when `src` is set.
+ * @type {ol.FeatureLoader|undefined}
+ * @api
+ */
+olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.loader;
+
+
 /**
  * Logo.
  * @type {string|olx.LogoOptions|undefined}
@@ -4916,19 +4937,23 @@ olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.logo;
 
 
 /**
- * Projection.
- * @type {ol.proj.ProjectionLike}
+ * The loading strategy to use. By default an {@link ol.loadingstrategy.all}
+ * strategy is used, which means that features at loaded all at once, and
+ * once.
+ * @type {ol.LoadingStrategy|undefined}
  * @api
  */
-olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.projection;
+olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.strategy;
 
 
 /**
- * State.
- * @type {ol.source.State|string|undefined}
+ * Set this option if you want the source to download features all at once
+ * and once for good. Internally the source uses an XHR feature loader (see
+ * {@link ol.featureloader.xhr}). Requires `format` to be set as well.
+ * @type {string|undefined}
  * @api
  */
-olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.state;
+olx.source.VectorOptions.prototype.url;
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/ol/featureloader.js b/src/ol/featureloader.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2fc5dfe114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ol/featureloader.js
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+goog.provide('ol.FeatureLoader');
+goog.provide('ol.featureloader');
+
+goog.require('goog.asserts');
+goog.require('goog.events');
+goog.require('goog.net.EventType');
+goog.require('goog.net.XhrIo');
+goog.require('goog.net.XhrIo.ResponseType');
+goog.require('ol.format.FormatType');
+goog.require('ol.xml');
+
+
+/**
+ * @typedef {function(this:ol.source.Vector, ol.Extent, number,
+ *                    ol.proj.Projection)}
+ */
+ol.FeatureLoader;
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {string} url Feature URL service.
+ * @param {ol.format.Feature} format Feature format.
+ * @param {function(this:ol.source.Vector, Array.<ol.Feature>)} success
+ *     Function called with the loaded features. Called with the vector
+ *     source as `this`.
+ * @return {ol.FeatureLoader} The feature loader.
+ */
+ol.featureloader.loadFeaturesXhr = function(url, format, success) {
+  return (
+      /**
+       * @param {ol.Extent} extent Extent.
+       * @param {number} resolution Resolution.
+       * @param {ol.proj.Projection} projection Projection.
+       * @this {ol.source.Vector}
+       */
+      function(extent, resolution, projection) {
+        var xhrIo = new goog.net.XhrIo();
+        var type = format.getType();
+        var responseType;
+        // FIXME maybe use ResponseType.DOCUMENT?
+        if (type == ol.format.FormatType.BINARY &&
+            ol.has.ARRAY_BUFFER) {
+          responseType = goog.net.XhrIo.ResponseType.ARRAY_BUFFER;
+        } else {
+          responseType = goog.net.XhrIo.ResponseType.TEXT;
+        }
+        xhrIo.setResponseType(responseType);
+        goog.events.listen(xhrIo, goog.net.EventType.COMPLETE,
+            /**
+             * @param {Event} event Event.
+             * @private
+             * @this {ol.source.Vector}
+             */
+            function(event) {
+              var xhrIo = event.target;
+              goog.asserts.assertInstanceof(xhrIo, goog.net.XhrIo,
+                  'event.target/xhrIo is an instance of goog.net.XhrIo');
+              if (xhrIo.isSuccess()) {
+                var type = format.getType();
+                /** @type {ArrayBuffer|Document|Node|Object|string|undefined} */
+                var source;
+                if (type == ol.format.FormatType.BINARY &&
+                    ol.has.ARRAY_BUFFER) {
+                  source = xhrIo.getResponse();
+                  goog.asserts.assertInstanceof(source, ArrayBuffer,
+                      'source is an instance of ArrayBuffer');
+                } else if (type == ol.format.FormatType.JSON) {
+                  source = xhrIo.getResponseText();
+                } else if (type == ol.format.FormatType.TEXT) {
+                  source = xhrIo.getResponseText();
+                } else if (type == ol.format.FormatType.XML) {
+                  if (!goog.userAgent.IE) {
+                    source = xhrIo.getResponseXml();
+                  }
+                  if (!goog.isDefAndNotNull(source)) {
+                    source = ol.xml.parse(xhrIo.getResponseText());
+                  }
+                } else {
+                  goog.asserts.fail('unexpected format type');
+                }
+                if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(source)) {
+                  var features = format.readFeatures(source,
+                      {featureProjection: projection});
+                  success.call(this, features);
+                } else {
+                  goog.asserts.fail('undefined or null source');
+                }
+              } else {
+                // FIXME
+              }
+              goog.dispose(xhrIo);
+            }, false, this);
+        xhrIo.send(url);
+      });
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * Create an XHR feature loader for a `url` and `format`. The feature loader
+ * loads features (with XHR), parses the features, and adds them to the
+ * vector source.
+ * @param {string} url Feature URL service.
+ * @param {ol.format.Feature} format Feature format.
+ * @return {ol.FeatureLoader} The feature loader.
+ * @api
+ */
+ol.featureloader.xhr = function(url, format) {
+  return ol.featureloader.loadFeaturesXhr(url, format,
+      /**
+       * @param {Array.<ol.Feature>} features The loaded features.
+       * @this {ol.source.Vector}
+       */
+      function(features) {
+        this.addFeatures(features);
+      });
+};
diff --git a/src/ol/loadingstrategy.js b/src/ol/loadingstrategy.js
index 418fc62282..1437d29c7b 100644
--- a/src/ol/loadingstrategy.js
+++ b/src/ol/loadingstrategy.js
@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
+goog.provide('ol.LoadingStrategy');
 goog.provide('ol.loadingstrategy');
 
 goog.require('ol.TileCoord');
 
 
+/**
+ * @typedef {function(ol.Extent, number): Array.<ol.Extent>}
+ */
+ol.LoadingStrategy;
+
+
 /**
  * Strategy function for loading all features with a single request.
  * @param {ol.Extent} extent Extent.
diff --git a/src/ol/source/vectorsource.js b/src/ol/source/vectorsource.js
index 53446596bf..393a276c34 100644
--- a/src/ol/source/vectorsource.js
+++ b/src/ol/source/vectorsource.js
@@ -12,9 +12,16 @@ goog.require('goog.events');
 goog.require('goog.events.Event');
 goog.require('goog.events.EventType');
 goog.require('goog.object');
+goog.require('ol.Extent');
+goog.require('ol.FeatureLoader');
+goog.require('ol.LoadingStrategy');
 goog.require('ol.ObjectEventType');
+goog.require('ol.extent');
+goog.require('ol.featureloader');
+goog.require('ol.loadingstrategy');
 goog.require('ol.proj');
 goog.require('ol.source.Source');
+goog.require('ol.source.State');
 goog.require('ol.structs.RBush');
 
 
@@ -71,17 +78,44 @@ ol.source.Vector = function(opt_options) {
   goog.base(this, {
     attributions: options.attributions,
     logo: options.logo,
-    projection: options.projection,
-    state: goog.isDef(options.state) ?
-        /** @type {ol.source.State} */ (options.state) : undefined
+    projection: undefined,
+    state: ol.source.State.READY
   });
 
+  /**
+   * @private
+   * @type {ol.FeatureLoader}
+   */
+  this.loader_ = goog.nullFunction;
+
+  if (goog.isDef(options.loader)) {
+    this.loader_ = options.loader;
+  } else if (goog.isDef(options.url)) {
+    goog.asserts.assert(goog.isDef(options.format),
+        'format must be set when url is set');
+    // create a XHR feature loader for "url" and "format"
+    this.loader_ = ol.featureloader.xhr(options.url, options.format);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @private
+   * @type {ol.LoadingStrategy}
+   */
+  this.strategy_ = goog.isDef(options.strategy) ? options.strategy :
+      ol.loadingstrategy.all;
+
   /**
    * @private
    * @type {ol.structs.RBush.<ol.Feature>}
    */
   this.rBush_ = new ol.structs.RBush();
 
+  /**
+   * @private
+   * @type {ol.structs.RBush.<{extent: ol.Extent}>}
+   */
+  this.loadedExtentsRtree_ = new ol.structs.RBush();
+
   /**
    * @private
    * @type {Object.<string, ol.Feature>}
@@ -261,6 +295,7 @@ ol.source.Vector.prototype.clear = function(opt_fast) {
   }
 
   this.rBush_.clear();
+  this.loadedExtentsRtree_.clear();
   this.nullGeometryFeatures_ = {};
 
   var clearEvent = new ol.source.VectorEvent(ol.source.VectorEventType.CLEAR);
@@ -577,7 +612,27 @@ ol.source.Vector.prototype.isEmpty = function() {
  * @param {number} resolution Resolution.
  * @param {ol.proj.Projection} projection Projection.
  */
-ol.source.Vector.prototype.loadFeatures = goog.nullFunction;
+ol.source.Vector.prototype.loadFeatures = function(
+    extent, resolution, projection) {
+  var loadedExtentsRtree = this.loadedExtentsRtree_;
+  var extentsToLoad = this.strategy_(extent, resolution);
+  var i, ii;
+  for (i = 0, ii = extentsToLoad.length; i < ii; ++i) {
+    var extentToLoad = extentsToLoad[i];
+    var alreadyLoaded = loadedExtentsRtree.forEachInExtent(extentToLoad,
+        /**
+         * @param {{extent: ol.Extent}} object Object.
+         * @return {boolean} Contains.
+         */
+        function(object) {
+          return ol.extent.containsExtent(object.extent, extentToLoad);
+        });
+    if (!alreadyLoaded) {
+      this.loader_.call(this, extentToLoad, resolution, projection);
+      loadedExtentsRtree.insert(extentToLoad, {extent: extentToLoad.slice()});
+    }
+  }
+};
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/data/point.json b/test/spec/ol/data/point.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9ab34adfc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/spec/ol/data/point.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"type":"FeatureCollection","features":[{"type":"Feature","id":"01","properties":{},"geometry":{"type":"Point","coordinates":[-87.359296,35.001181]}}]}
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/featureloader.test.js b/test/spec/ol/featureloader.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ce714c98e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/spec/ol/featureloader.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+goog.provide('ol.test.featureloader');
+
+describe('ol.featureloader', function() {
+  describe('ol.featureloader.xhr', function() {
+    var loader;
+    var source;
+
+    beforeEach(function() {
+      var url = 'spec/ol/data/point.json';
+      var format = new ol.format.GeoJSON();
+
+      loader = ol.featureloader.xhr(url, format);
+      source = new ol.source.Vector();
+    });
+
+    it('adds features to the source', function(done) {
+      source.on(ol.source.VectorEventType.ADDFEATURE, function(e) {
+        expect(source.getFeatures().length).to.be.greaterThan(0);
+        done();
+      });
+      loader.call(source, [], 1, 'EPSG:3857');
+    });
+
+  });
+});
+
+goog.require('ol.featureloader');
+goog.require('ol.format.GeoJSON');
+goog.require('ol.source.Vector');
+goog.require('ol.source.VectorEventType');