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1、第一篇FordAbandonsElectricVehiclesTheFordmotorcompany’s1abandonmentofelectriccarseffectivelysignalstheendoftheroadforthetechnology,analystssay.GeneralMotors2andHonda3ceasedproductionofbattery-poweredcarsin1999,tofocusonfuelcell4andhybridelectricgasolineengines5,whichare
2、moreattractivetotheconsumer.Fordhasnowannounceditwilldothesame.Threeyearsago,thecompanyintroducedtheThinkCitytwo-seatercarandagolfcartcalledtheTHINKorThinkNeighhor6.Ithopedtosell5,000carseachyearand10,000carts.Butalackofdemandmeansonlyabout1,000ofthecarshavebeenprodu
3、ced,andlessthan1,700cartshavebeensoldsofarin2002.“Thebottomline7iswedon’tbelievethatthisisthefutureofenvironmenttransportforthemassmarket,”TimHolmesofFordEuropesaidonFriday.“Wefeelwehavegivenelectricourbestshot8.”TheThinkCityhasarangeofonlyabout53milesanduptoasix-hou
4、rbatteryrechargetime.GeneralMotors’EVIelectricvehiclealsohadalimitedrange,ofabout100miles.Theveryexpensivebatteriesalsomeanelectriccarscostmuchmorethanpetrol-poweredalternatives.AnelectricToyota9RAV4EVvehiclecostsover$42,000intheUS,comparedwithjust$17,000forthepetrol
5、version.ToyotaandNissan10arenowtheonlymajorautomanufacturerstoproduceelectricvehicles.“Thereisafeelingthatbatteryelectrichasbeengivenitschance.Fordnowhastomoveonwithitshybridprogram11,andthatiswhatwewillbejudgingthemon,”RogerHigman,aseniortransportcampaigneratUKFrien
6、dsoftheEarth,toldtheEnvironmentNewsService.HybridcarsintroducedbyToyotaandHondainthepastfewyearshavesoldwell.Hybridenginesoffergreatermileagethanpetrol-onlyengines,andthebatteriesrechargethemselves.Fordsaysitthinkssuchvehicleswillhelpitmeetplannednewguidelines12onveh
7、icleemissions13intheUS.Howevertitisnotyetclearexactlywhatthoseguidelineswillpermit.InJune,GeneralMotorsandDaimlerChrysler14wonacourtinjunction,delayingbytwoyearsCalifornianlegislationrequiringcar-makerstooffer100,000zero-emissionandotherlow-emissionvehiclesinthestate
8、by2003.Carmanufacturershopethelegislationwillberewrittentoallowformorelow-emission,ratherthanzero-emission,vehicles.词汇:hybrid/5haib
