評論
打印
Leaders
領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者
Road Kill
內(nèi)燃機之死
The internal combustion engine had a good run. But the end is in sight for the machine that changed the world
內(nèi)燃機有著輝煌的過去。但是，對于這種改變了世界的機器來說，末日近在眼前。
“Human inventiveness…h(huán)as still not found a mechanical process to replace horses as the propulsion for vehicles,” lamented Le Petit Journal, a French newspaper, in December 1893.
“人類的創(chuàng)新……至今仍未找到一種機械過程來取代馬匹作為車輛的推力，”1893年12月，法國報紙《小巴黎人報》哀嘆道。
Its answer was to organise the Paris-Rouen race for horseless carriages, held the following July.
它的答案是組織在來年7月舉行的巴黎至魯昂非馬拉車大賽。
The 102 entrants included vehicles powered by steam, petrol, electricity, compressed air and hydraulics.
102輛入圍賽車包括了以蒸汽、汽油、電力、壓縮空氣和液壓為動力的車輛。
Only 21 qualified for the 126km (78-mile) race, which attracted huge crowds.
只有21輛車獲得了資格參加這場吸引了大批觀眾的賽程為126公里（合78英里）的比賽。
The clear winner was the internal combustion engine.
大獲全勝的贏家是內(nèi)燃機。
Over the next century it would go on to power industry and change the world.
在下一個世紀(jì)中，它會繼續(xù)推動工業(yè)前進(jìn)并將改變世界。
But its days are numbered.
但是，它的日子已經(jīng)屈指可數(shù)了。
Rapid gains in battery technology favour electric motors instead.
電池技術(shù)的飛速發(fā)展寵幸的是電動車。
In Paris in 1894 not a single electric car made it to the starting line, partly because they needed battery-replacement stations every 30km or so.
1984年，在巴黎，沒有一輛電動車出現(xiàn)在起跑線上，一部分原因在于它們每30公里左右就需要電池更換站。
Today's electric cars, powered by lithium-ion batteries, can do much better.
今天的電動汽車，以鋰電池為動力，能夠做得好得多。
The Chevy Bolt has a range of 383km; Tesla fans recently drove a Model S more than 1,000km on a single charge.
雪佛蘭閃電（Chevy Bolt）有382公里的最大行程；特斯拉的粉絲日前單獨充了一次電，就讓Model S 跑了1000多公里。
UBS, a bank, reckons the “total cost of ownership” of an electric car will reach parity with a petrol one next year—albeit at a loss to its manufacturer.
瑞銀測算，一輛電動車的“擁有總成本”將在明年與擁有一輛汽油車持平——盡管這對制造廠商來說是一大損失。
It optimistically predicts electric vehicles will make up 14% of global car sales by 2025, up from 1% today.
它樂觀地預(yù)測，到2025年，電動車將構(gòu)成全球汽車銷量的14%，比當(dāng)前的1%大幅上升。
Others have more modest forecasts, but are hurriedly revising them upwards as batteries get cheaper and better—the cost per kilowatt-hour has fallen from $1,000 in 2010 to $130-200 today.
其他人有著較為保守的預(yù)測，但是，隨著電池變得越來越便宜和越來越好——每千瓦小時的成本已經(jīng)從2010年1000美元降至目前的130-200美元，都在匆忙地調(diào)高各自的預(yù)測。
Regulations are tightening, too.
監(jiān)管也在收緊。
譯文來源考研英語時事閱讀
