逆風狂奔

????許多人認為插電式混動汽車和全電動汽車不可能在短期內大范圍流行起來。理由有很多：首先，油價近年來一直保持穩定，新的石油資源也得到了開采；另外，內燃機引擎變得越來越經濟高效。此外，混動和電動汽車的銷量也低于預期，而且2011年還有兩家電動汽車公司破產倒閉。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度，比如雷諾-日產公司（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-日產公司已經投資了56億美元用于科研以及電池和車輛的開發。

????2011年日產推出的全電動汽車聆風（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——包括一些高調的知名廠商早在幾年前就制定了進軍電動汽車市場的計劃，2012年將有多款電動轎車和插電式混動汽車面世。消費者可選擇的余地大大增加了，這些車型的純電動續航里程從15英里到300英里不等，價格統統不菲，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.

雪佛蘭沃藍達

????雪佛蘭沃藍達（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袖地位岌岌可危的境地。在上世紀90年代，通用深受EV-1電動車之苦。這一次則是沃藍達插電式轎車。去年沃藍達的銷量低于預期，而且美國聯邦政府也啟動了一項調查，研究沃藍達的電池在遭遇事故后發生火災的風險。就連出生于密歇根的共和黨總統候選人米特?羅姆尼也不看好沃藍達，稱“這個創意生不逢時。”不過通用CEO丹?阿克森卻并未懈氣，他表示，車主如果不滿意沃藍達的性能，通用可以從車主手中購回車輛，并表示公司將把沃藍達的產量由當前的不足1萬臺增加到6萬臺。2012年將是沃藍達關鍵的一年。

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.