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1、Highlychargedmotoring负重前行[2010.10.07]TheEconomistElectriccarshavecomeandgoneovertheyears.Usuallyanoilcrisishasgiventhemaboost;thistimeitisacombinationofoilprices,fearsaboutenergysecurityandclimatechange.Nowthebigcarfirmsarepushingall-electriccarsforthemassmarket.At
2、theParisMotorShowthisweektheyunveiledelectricvehiclesofallshapesandsizes.Somegoonsaleinthenextfewmonths.Thisrepresentsahugeleapforwardfortheindustry,buttheshowroompatterwillbemisleading,fortworeasons.First,althoughelectriccarsarenippy,stylishandaseasytodriveasconve
3、ntionalvehicles,electricmotoringhassomedistinctdisadvantages.Second,theyarenotreallyasgreenastheirpromotersclaim.Theideaofrecharginganelectriccarathomeforonlyafewdollarsandneveragainhavingtovisitafillingstationisenticing.Formostjourneys,thelimitationsofbatterycapac
4、ityareirrelevant.Assalesmenwillbequicktopointout,99%ofthetimepeopledoonlyshortruns—thedailycommute,tripstotheshopsandtopickupthechildren—allofwhicharewellwithintherangeofmostelectriccars.Butthatfinal1%ofjourneyspresumablyincludesthesummerholidaywhenpeoplepileintoth
5、ecarandheadoffforthecoast.Hoppingonthetrainladenwithsuitcasesandchildrenmaynotbeanattractivealternative.Andeventherelativelyshortrangesthatsalesmenadvertisemaybeoptimistic.Onacold,wetnightwhenlotsofelectricalsystemsarerunningandthevehicleisladenwithpassengersandlug
6、gage,acarmaylosearoundathirdofitssupposedrange.Andwhatofelectriccars’environmentalcredentials?Electriccarsarebeinghugelysubsidisedbytaxpayers—£5,000($7,940)inBritainandupto$7,500inAmerica—onthegroundthattheyarezero-emissionvehicles.Makersofelectriccarsclaimthatthis
7、isanefficientwaytoreducegreenhouse-gasemissions.Roadtransportaccountsforatenthofsuchemissionsworldwide;thesortsofbiofuelscurrentlyinusearenotmuchgreenerthanpetrol;andnext-generationbiofuelsareprovingslowtocometothemarket.Althoughelectriccarsmaynotthemselvesproduceg
8、reenhousegases,generatingtheelectricitytheyusedoes.Howgreentheyaredependsonthefuelmixatthepowerplantsinthecountryinwhichtheyaredriven.Anelectricc