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Recharge Wrap-up: Electric Bayliner conversion, China considers EV mandates

An electric mobility enthusiast converted a Bayliner boat to electric power. Using 10 Tesla modules to build a 32-kWh battery pack, Scott Masterson's 2016 Bayliner 175 now uses an electric motor in place of the original 3.0-liter Mercruiser engine. With a top speed of about 53 mph and a range of about 25 miles, Masterson can enjoy a nice cruise on the water without the accompanying gas fumes. He says the conversion wasn't all that complicated, and it took him about three months of part-time work. Check it out in the video above, and read more at Electrek. Audi's updates to the 2017 A3 include the E-Tron plug-in hybrid. Inside the car, it will likely get Audi's "Virtual Cockpit" instrument display. The MMI infotainment system will be updated, with available Apple Carplay and Android Auto functionality. Slight changes to the headlights, taillights, and grille will make up the bulk of the exterior visual changes. Its powertrain will remain unaltered from the 2016 model, including its 83 MPGe combined rating and 16 miles of all-electric driving range. Read more at Green Car Reports. Hyundai has delivered its first hydrogen-powered car to Quebec. The Centre de Gestion de l'Equipment Roulant (Rolling Stock Management Center), which manages the province's government fleets, took delivery of a 2016 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. It is leased in partnership with the University of Quebec's Hydrogen Research Institute of Trois-Rivieres, where the vehicle will be refueled. Read more from Green Car Congress. China is considering mandates for cleaner cars similar to those imposed by California. Unlike its current subsidy-based incentives, China could potentially require automakers to either produce or import more electric vehicles or purchase carbon credits from automakers that do. A draft of the legislation from the National Development and Reform Commission would fine non-compliant automakers at five times the price of the credits. "Without question, this will be good for the industry and will promote the development of all types of clean-energy vehicles," says China Association of Automobile Manufacturers Deputy Secretary General Ye Shengji. Compliance would be voluntary for smaller automakers. Read more from Automotive News.

2018 Buick Regal TourX vs. wagon competitors: How it compares on paper

To the great joy of auto enthusiasts nationwide, wagons are back! Well, at least there's a few more of them. The latest is the 2018 Buick Regal TourX, which we just had our first drive of and found to actually be quite good with pleasant handling, solid power and plenty of space. But, how does the TourX compare to other cladded wagons? Well, let's dive into the specs and fire up the ol' spreadsheet maker for Buick Regal TourX vs Subaru Outback vs Audi A4 Allroad vs VW Alltrack vs Volvo V60 Cross Country. True, some are from mainstream brands and others are from luxury marques, but Buick straddles both realms, so it's appropriate to look at them all. Of course, there's more to these cars than just the numbers, but they're still important, and in the case of this class of crossover-aping wagons, can vary more than you'd expect. So check out the specs in the chart below, which are followed by more analysis and photos of each. Discover and compare other wagons and crossovers with our Car Finder and Compare tools. Engines and Transmissions When comparing powertrains, the Buick is far-and-away the winner as far as torque is concerned, and is in a nearly three-way tie for horsepower. Its 295 pound-feet of torque is 22 lb-ft more twist than the next-most-grunty Audi A4 Allroad. And in regards to power, the Buick's 250-horsepower engine is only down 6 hp to the most-powerful Subaru and its optional naturally aspirated flat-six, and just 2 hp less than the Audi. At the bottom of the pack is the Subaru Outback with the standard naturally aspirated flat-four, which only makes 174 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. That may not seem too bad compared with the VW Golf Alltrack, which only makes 170 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque, but the VW is much lighter by between 200 and 300 pounds. Transmission-wise, there's quite a bit of variation in the group. The Regal TourX and the Volvo V60 Cross Country rely on eight-speed automatics, all Outbacks use CVTs, and the Alltrack and Allroad have dual-clutch automated manual transmissions with six and seven gears, respectively. But for people that want to shift for themselves, the only option is the Volkswagen, which offers a traditional six-speed manual transmission on the Golf Alltrack. Cargo and Interior Space One of the main reasons to buy a wagon is for the body style's large cargo capacity. And for the most space for things and stuff, you'll want to check out the Subaru and the Buick.

2014 Audi R8 V10 Plus

Ignore the naysayers who say the Audi R8 is too refined to be a proper supercar, or that it has begun to show its age - after a few tweaks for the 2014 model year, the automaker's flagship remains one of my favorite exotics.
Audi has treated all of its R8 models to a host of enhancements for the 2014 model year that include new LED headlights and tail lamps, larger steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, new exhaust finishes, updated alloy wheel designs and fresh exterior colors. However, the most significant news is the arrival of a proper seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission (it replaces the six-speed R-Tronic). The rapid-fire gearbox shaves a coupe tenths off the 0-60 sprint and improves fuel economy for both the eight- and ten-cylinder models (thankfully, a traditional six-speed manual is still on the order form).
I recently spent time with the new-for-2014 V10 Plus model, which is only available in a coupe body style. Compared to the standard V10 models, the Plus sheds upwards of 130 pounds thanks to lightweight manual seats (not fitted to my test car), carbon-ceramic brakes, reduced sound bay insulation, a smaller fuel tank and an assortment of carbon-fiber pieces (including side blades, front splitter, rear diffuser and spoiler). But that's not all, as the V10 Plus also receives a bump in output that pushes its ten-cylinder to an even 550 horsepower.