逆風(fēng)狂奔

????許多人認(rèn)為插電式混動汽車和全電動汽車不可能在短期內(nèi)大范圍流行起來。理由有很多：首先，油價近年來一直保持穩(wěn)定，新的石油資源也得到了開采；另外，內(nèi)燃機(jī)引擎變得越來越經(jīng)濟(jì)高效。此外，混動和電動汽車的銷量也低于預(yù)期，而且2011年還有兩家電動汽車公司破產(chǎn)倒閉。這一切很難說是什么好兆頭。

????盡管如此，電動汽車的支持者們卻仍然保持著樂觀的態(tài)度，比如雷諾-日產(chǎn)公司（Renault-Nissan）的卡洛斯?高森。高森希望在2017年前銷售出150萬輛插電式混動轎車和純電動汽車，為此他不惜血本。雷諾-日產(chǎn)公司已經(jīng)投資了56億美元用于科研以及電池和車輛的開發(fā)。

????2011年日產(chǎn)推出的全電動汽車聆風(fēng)（Leaf）是電動汽車市場上的先行者，不過到了2012年，它將迎來許多新的競爭對手。不少汽車廠商——包括一些高調(diào)的知名廠商早在幾年前就制定了進(jìn)軍電動汽車市場的計(jì)劃，2012年將有多款電動轎車和插電式混動汽車面世。消費(fèi)者可選擇的余地大大增加了，這些車型的純電動續(xù)航里程從15英里到300英里不等，價格統(tǒng)統(tǒng)不菲，最低的也要賣2.2萬美元，高的則要賣到10萬美元以上。也許不必借助新一輪的油價飆升，它們就有望熱賣。

Fighting the headwinds

????Skeptics just can't shake their doubts that plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles will catch on anytime soon. They have a lot to be wary of: Gas prices have remained steady, new oil deposits are being exploited, and internal combustion engines are becoming more efficient. Sales have also been slower than expected, and two EV companies went bankrupt in 2011. Hardly auspicious.

????Despite all that, EV advocates like Renault-Nissan's Carlos Ghosn remain cheerfully optimistic. Ghosn wants to be selling 1.5 million plug-ins and pure EVs by 2017. He's got a lot of skin in the game. Renault-Nissan has invested $5.6 billion in research, batteries, and vehicle development.

????Nissan's all-electric Leaf was a pioneer in 2011, but it's getting lots of competition in 2012. Having locked their plans several years ago, automakers -- including some high-profile ones -- will be introducing a remarkable assortment of EVs and plug-ins this year. Buyers will have a choice in all-electric range from 15 miles to 300 miles, and prices from $22,000 to more than $100,000. Hopefully we won't need another spike in energy prices for them to catch on.

雪佛蘭沃藍(lán)達(dá)

????雪佛蘭沃藍(lán)達(dá)（Volt）問世后銷量不盡如人意。這是過去20年來，通用（General Motors）第二次面臨電動車市場領(lǐng)袖地位岌岌可危的境地。在上世紀(jì)90年代，通用深受EV-1電動車之苦。這一次則是沃藍(lán)達(dá)插電式轎車。去年沃藍(lán)達(dá)的銷量低于預(yù)期，而且美國聯(lián)邦政府也啟動了一項(xiàng)調(diào)查，研究沃藍(lán)達(dá)的電池在遭遇事故后發(fā)生火災(zāi)的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。就連出生于密歇根的共和黨總統(tǒng)候選人米特?羅姆尼也不看好沃藍(lán)達(dá)，稱“這個創(chuàng)意生不逢時?！辈贿^通用CEO丹?阿克森卻并未懈氣，他表示，車主如果不滿意沃藍(lán)達(dá)的性能，通用可以從車主手中購回車輛，并表示公司將把沃藍(lán)達(dá)的產(chǎn)量由當(dāng)前的不足1萬臺增加到6萬臺。2012年將是沃藍(lán)達(dá)關(guān)鍵的一年。

Chevrolet Volt

????For the second time in the last two decades, General Motors experienced first-hand the perils of EV leadership. Back in the '90s, it was saddled with the EV-1. This time around, it's the Volt plug-in. Sales have lagged forecasts, and the federal government launched an investigation into the danger of battery fires after accidents. Even Michigan-born Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney dissed the Volt, calling it "an idea whose time has not yet come." Undeterred, CEO Dan Akerson declared GM would buy back cars from unhappy owners and ordered a boost in production to 60,000 from less than 10,000. 2012 will be a critical year for Volt.