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馬力十足
Tesla gains new admirers as it heads towards the mass market
面向大眾市場，特斯拉贏得許多新的追隨者
IF COMFORTABLY outpacing your rivals is the main measure of automotive achievement, Tesla's electric car is a resounding success.
如果說舒舒服服超過競爭對手是汽車行業中衡量成功的主要標準，那么特斯拉電動車就是這個行業中響當當的成功者。
The Model S last year outsold its nearest luxury rival, Mercedes's petrol-engined S-class, by 30% inAmerica.
在美國市場中，特斯拉Model S型電動車與最接近的同類型豪華轎車奔馳燃油動力S級轎車相比，前者銷量高出30%。
And in its top specification the Tesla will also beat the German car in the race from 0-60mph.
從特斯拉的高規格中可以看出它將在60英里/小時之內的時速上打敗德國車。
As a battery-maker Tesla is also moving fast.
在電池制造業方面，特斯拉也在迅速前進。
This week it announced plans to build a gigafactory inAmericato make lithium-ion power-packs, that it hopes will propel its vehicles to the mainstream.
這周特斯拉宣布，計劃在美國建造超級電池工廠來生產鋰離子能量包，并希望以此可以推動它的電動車成為主流。
Tesla's acceleration has been rapid.
特斯拉的發展速度一直很驚人。
Launched a decade ago by Elon Musk, a founder of PayPal and serial tech entrepreneur, last year it sold around 22,000 cars and by the end of 2014 hopes to be making1,000 aweek.
十年前，身為貝寶創始人、工程企業家的埃隆馬斯克開發的的特斯拉在去年賣出22，000左右輛，而在2014年底之前預期每周售出1,000輛。
In early 2015 Tesla will add the Model X, a medium-sized SUV, to its range.
在2015年初，特斯拉將新增中等SUV車型Modle X。
However, Tesla's impressive growth has not yet translated into significant profits.
但是，特斯拉如此驚人的高銷量還沒有轉化為利潤，
A series of battery fires also briefly dented sales growth last year.
況且去年一系列的電池火災事件也使特斯拉的銷量有所下降。
Nevertheless, Tesla's shares surged on February 25th, to value the company at over 30 billion after Morgan Stanley, a bank, joined its adoring fans.
但是，在摩根史丹利銀行成為崇拜它的粉絲后，公司價值超過300億美元，2月25日特斯拉的銷量還是猛增了。
It reckons that the battery factory will not only propel it along the road to mass manufacturing but also make it a leading competitor in low-cost energy storage, the key to making renewable energy more practical.
摩根史丹利銀行認為，電池工廠將不只在大批量生產下推動特斯拉發展，還會使它成為低成本能量儲存電池的領軍者，
The bank is also confident that Tesla'sSilicon Valleylocation will put it in the driverless front seat of autonomous motoring.
并相信特斯拉硅谷基地將會帶領著特斯拉成為無人駕駛領域的先驅。
A recent meeting with Apple, and the iPad-like control panel of the Model S, have convinced some observers that a takeover and an iCar are around the corner, although Mr Musk insists that his firm is not for sale.
盡管馬斯克堅持說他不會賣公司，但近期特斯拉與蘋果高層的一次會面和它生產的類平板電腦控制面板的Model S的面市令一些觀察員相信特斯拉的收購和iCar不久就會出現。
Tesla has defied its doubters with the success of the Model S, a smartly styled luxury saloon.
特斯拉已經用它Model S的成功擊敗了它的懷疑者。
It may not share the outrageous looks of a supercar like the Lamborghini Aventador, but it has the performance without the 400,000-plus price tag.
這是一款精簡風格的豪華版電動車，雖然它不像蘭博基尼的艾文塔多那樣擁有夸張外表的超跑，但它的表現絕對比得過了40萬美元以上的價格。
The most basic Model S costs 64,000 inAmerica.
最基本的Modle S在美國的稅后價是64，000美元。
This has won it rave reviews in the motoring press, often sniffy about other electric cars with limited ranges and duff looks.
這些為它在汽車新聞贏得了驚呼的評論，它經常嘲笑其他電動車里程受限、外觀無型。
By designing a large car with a big battery pack, Tesla has diminished range anxiety—one version can do 310 miles between charges.
特斯拉用大容量電池打造巨型車，這就讓它消除了里程焦慮-有一款車充電一次可以行駛310英里。
But Tesla is so far in a niche, albeit with an incredibly loyal base of wealthy buyers.
除了一批極度忠誠而又富有的消費者以外，特斯拉目前正處于一個十分有前景的市場當中。
A Tesla is a more stylish way of displaying environmentalist credentials than a lumpen Toyota Prius and more practical than a Ferrari—putting two child seats in the back boosts the capacity to seven passengers.
特斯拉比落魄的豐田普銳斯更能體現環保，比法拉利更能體現實用-在后加速器放兩個兒童座位，可容納7人。
Mr Musk is a convincing salesman, at least to rich Californians.
馬斯克是個非常具有有說服力的銷售員，至少在富有的加利福尼亞來說是這樣。
The prospects for electric cars have taken a turn for the better.
電動車的前景有了轉機，可以發展地更好。
China, a market that Tesla is eyeing for a third of its sales, last month announced strict new fuel-efficiency standards that may make life hard, if not impossible, for importers of big petrol-engined cars.
中國正是特斯拉覬覦的第三大銷售市場，上個月中國宣布了嚴格的新能源節能標準，這一新規很可能使得大型燃油動力汽車進口商舉步維艱。
The European Union this week confirmed new curbs on tailpipe emissions, to be imposed from 2021.
歐盟在這周確定了新的尾氣排放限制標準，將從2021年開始實施。
Even so, becoming a mass-market General Electric Motors will not be easy.
即便如此，要想成為擁有大眾市場的通用電動汽車不是件簡單的事。
In about three years Tesla will launch the Model E, a small saloon with a range of perhaps 400 miles, costing just 35,000 or so—if its new factory can make batteries that are good and cheap enough.
如果新工廠能夠生產出質優價廉的電池的話，特斯拉將在三年內開發Model E，這是一款可行駛400英里左右的小型豪華車，費用大約在35,000美元。
It will have to, because its buyers will be using it as an everyday set of wheels, not an indulgence.
特斯拉將不得不研發出高性價比的電池，因為消費者們會把這類車當成代步工具，而不僅僅是一個玩物。
And it will have rivals: BMW's i3, launched last year, is aimed at the same market. Other carmakers will follow suit.
但它也會有競爭對手：寶馬的I3，該款車是去年開發且同特斯拉的有一樣的目標市場，至于其他的汽車制造商，只會追隨他們的腳步。
For buyers who just want the cheapest means of getting from A to B, regardless of the vehicle's looks or performance, the lowest-cost petrol cars will be hard to beat for some time to come.
有些人不會顧及汽車的外觀和性能，只關心價格低廉、方便出行，這樣對特斯拉來說，在未來一段時間內很難擊敗低價汽車。
Traditional carmakers talk of one day serving such customers with mobility as a service—fleets of self-driving taxis.
傳統的汽車制造商宣揚，總有一天，他們將提供給這類消費者一種動力服務。
Tesla, which is also investing in autonomous driving technology, could be a strong contender in such a new market:
特斯拉也正在自動駕駛科技領域投資，它可能在這個新市場是一個強大的競爭者：
unlike its older rivals, it would have no legacy business, of factories churning out petrol models, to be disrupted.
特斯拉與傳統競爭對手不同之處在于，他們沒有值得緬懷的傳奇，相應地同樣也沒有即將破敗的燃油動力汽車工廠。
