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Recharge Wrap-up: Ford Fusion and Toyota Highlander named Best Hybrids for Families; Funky Prius motorhome

Tesla Model S customers in China will receive a "Universal Mobile Charger" with their vehicle. The charger will allow drivers to charge their Tesla anywhere, without having to search out a Supercharger when out in the wild. It allows Model S drivers a bit more freedom and helps alleviate worries about traveling too far from home. It could also help sway potential customers who suffer from range anxiety. The charger will be free to new and existing customers when it becomes available this summer. Read more at Car News China. US News & World Reports' list of Best Cars for Families includes two hybrids. The 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid was chosen as the Best Hybrid Car for Families, while the 2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid was picked as the Best Hybrid SUV for Families. The Fusion hybrid was chosen for its roomy, comfortable cabin, as well as the MyKey system's features for new drivers. The Highlander Hybrid offers eight seats - good for carpooling - as well as good mileage and a quality infotainment system. Read more at US News & World Reports or at Hybrid Cars. Audi plans to give its electric vehicles looks that differentiate them from the rest of the lineup. "In early 2018, we will launch a battery-powered sports activity vehicle in the large premium segment with a range of more than 500 kilometers," says Audi's head of development, Ulrich Hackenberg. "It will have a new, very attractive design, which we are developing especially for the E-Tron range and for battery-electric vehicles." According to analysts, part of the reason the Toyota Prius was so successful was because it was easy to distinguish from other Toyota models with conventional powertrains. Read more at Automotive News Europe. An Australian man turned his Toyota Prius into a miniature motorhome. James Lawler used mostly scraps to build the tiny house – complete with tin roof, chimney, and stained glass window – for just $150 Australian. It took him about a week to finish. Lawler made use of his creation at the Meredith Music Festival so he didn't have to sleep in a tent. He was, however, fined by police for driving the makeshift motorhome. See pictures and read more at the Herald Sun.

Audi TT Sportback Concept evolves the five-door breed

One week after a leaked sketch ran on these very pages, Audi has introduced the latest member of a "potential TT family," according to Audi board member Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg. This is the TT Sportback Concept, a five-door, 400-horsepower version of the brand's stylish sports car and at this point, it looks darn likely to herald the debut of a third body style for Audi's design icon.
Unveiled at the expansive Volkswagen group night celebration ahead of the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the TT Sportback Concept is the most evolved version of a form factor that's seen a slow striptease throughout 2014, first with the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept in Detroit and, more recently, in the Offroad Concept from the Beijing Motor Show.
For Paris, the car being shown by Audi is absent traditional concept car traits like oversized wheels, miniscule mirrors and bizarre interior treatments, giving it a far more production ready appearance than either of the previous TT-based concepts. The exterior, meanwhile, is clearly reminiscent of the third-generation car (that roofline is pure TT), although there are a number of styling decisions that remind us of the compact A3, particularly in regards to the taillights.

Audi TT Offroad concept packs 408 hybrid horsepower, yet returns 123 mpg

Audi took the wraps of its TT Offroad Concept at the Beijing Motor Show, after teasing us with sketches earlier this month. "The Audi TT offroad concept provides a glimpse of how we might imagine a new model in the future TT family," says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development. "It combines the sporty genes of the TT with the strengths of a compact Audi SUV."
The latest in Audi's eTron show cars reminds us an awful lot of the the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake concept that debuted a few months ago at the Detroit Auto Show. In addition to very similar physical appearances, the two share the same plug-in hybrid propulsion systems (the "plug-in" part is a bit misleading, as the concept simply needs to be parked over an inductive pad to take advantage of Audi Wireless Charging technology).
Proving that hybrid power never has to be a compromise, the TT Offroad Concept packs a 292 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder under the hood. The combustion engine is assisted by two electric motors (rated at 40 kW at the front and 85 kW at the rear) to provide a total system output of 408 horsepower and nearly 480 pound-feet of torque. With all-wheel drive, the concept hits 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and tops out at 155 mph - while returning a provisional fuel efficiency of 123 miles per gallon equivalent.