逆风狂奔

    许多人认为插电式混动汽车和全电动汽车不可能在短期内大范围流行起来。理由有很多：首先，油价近年来一直保持稳定，新的石油资源也得到了开采；另外，内燃机引擎变得越来越经济高效。此外，混动和电动汽车的销量也低于预期，而且2011年还有两家电动汽车公司破产倒闭。这一切很难说是什么好兆头。

    尽管如此，电动汽车的支持者们却仍然保持着乐观的态度，比如雷诺-日产公司（Renault-Nissan）的卡洛斯•高森。高森希望在2017年前销售出150万辆插电式混动轿车和纯电动汽车，为此他不惜血本。雷诺-日产公司已经投资了56亿美元用于科研以及电池和车辆的开发。

    2011年日产推出的全电动汽车聆风（Leaf）是电动汽车市场上的先行者，不过到了2012年，它将迎来许多新的竞争对手。不少汽车厂商——包括一些高调的知名厂商早在几年前就制定了进军电动汽车市场的计划，2012年将有多款电动轿车和插电式混动汽车面世。消费者可选择的余地大大增加了，这些车型的纯电动续航里程从15英里到300英里不等，价格统统不菲，最低的也要卖2.2万美元，高的则要卖到10万美元以上。也许不必借助新一轮的油价飙升，它们就有望热卖。

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.

雪佛兰沃蓝达

    雪佛兰沃蓝达（Volt）问世后销量不尽如人意。这是过去20年来，通用（General Motors）第二次面临电动车市场领袖地位岌岌可危的境地。在上世纪90年代，通用深受EV-1电动车之苦。这一次则是沃蓝达插电式轿车。去年沃蓝达的销量低于预期，而且美国联邦政府也启动了一项调查，研究沃蓝达的电池在遭遇事故后发生火灾的风险。就连出生于密歇根的共和党总统候选人米特•罗姆尼也不看好沃蓝达，称“这个创意生不逢时。”不过通用CEO丹•阿克森却并未懈气，他表示，车主如果不满意沃蓝达的性能，通用可以从车主手中购回车辆，并表示公司将把沃蓝达的产量由当前的不足1万台增加到6万台。2012年将是沃蓝达关键的一年。

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.