外文資料翻譯INREJECTINGELECTRICBIKES,themunicipalitiescitedsuchconcernsasthethreatofpollutionfromspentlead-acidbatteries,interferencewithautomobilesresultinginaccidentsorslowedtraffic,andtheimpactontheviabilityofpublictransitsystems.Advocatesforgreentransportationsaytheseargumentsamounttothinlyveiledattemptstoprotecttheelectric-bicycleindustryscompetitors.Therealreasoniscompetitionfrominterestgroups,saysHeZuoxiu,arenownedtheoreticalphysicistandacademicianattheChineseAcademyofSciences.Anoutspokenfigureinpublicdebatesaroundenvironmentalandenergypolicy,Hesaysnoneoftheargumentsagainstelectricbikeshasmerit.Lead-acidbatteries,hepointsout,areusedincars,too.Therealpollutionsourceisnottheelectricbikes,itstheautomobiles,headds.Andhesaystransitoperatorsandmanufacturersshouldbeforcedtocompetewiththeelectricbikesbyofferingmoreefficientservicesandcheaper,cleanervehicles.Theproblem,heexplains,isthatelectric-bikemanufacturersareinsignificantnexttotheotherinterestgroups,particularlythecarmakersthatareattractingbillionsofdollarsofforeigninvestment.TheautomotiveindustryisidentifiedasapillarindustryinChinasofficialfive-yearplans.BackwithsurpriAlthoughtheoddsagainstthemaredaunting,electric-bikemanufacturersarepushingsingsuccess.Themastermindofoneofthemosthigh-profilebattlesisNiJie,presidentofLuyuanElectricVehicleCo.,aprivatelyownedmanufacturerthathasapragmaticapproachtothemarket,asizableR&Deffort,andanambitiousvisionforChineseEVtechnology.LuyuanEVwasagovernmentventure-capitalspinoff.BuildingfromaprototypeputtogethernineyearsagobyLuyuansgeneralmanager,HuJiHong,Niswife,LuyuanwentprivateafterNi,Hu,andotherprincipalsboughtouttheinitialinvestors.Theyhavebuiltadynamiccompanythatsold120000electricbikesandscooterslastyearandexpectstosell300000thisyearseephoto,ComingOfftheLine.TofindLuyuanEV,youmustheadoffthebeatentracktoJinhua,anindustrialmetropolisof1millionpeoplethatistuckedintotheunbrokensprawlsouthofShanghaithatisZhejiangprovince.Inthechairmansspaciouscorneroffice(oneofthefewheatedroomsatLuyuanonacoldFebruaryday),Nichain-smokes,sippingfromaseeminglybottomlessjarofwell-steepedgreentea.HesaystrafficisthetopconcerninmanyChinesecities,andtheelectricbicyclefillsavoidbyofferinganaffordablealternativetosittinginastationarycarorbus.Ifgovernmentsdonthavethesolution,thepeoplewillbehaveintheirownways,saysNi.Theresnowaytostopthat.!Nitookpeoplepowertosurprisinglimitsin2003whenofficialsinFuzhou,thecapitalofneighboringFujianprovince,decidedtobanelectricbicyclesshuttingoffwhatuntilthenhadbeenoneofLuyuansbestmarkets.Thecitynotonlyceasedissuinglicensesforelectricbicyclesbutalsoseized20electricbikesfromabicycleshopinthesummerof2003.Nigatheredacoalitionof126electric-bikemanufacturersandfiledsuitagainstthecityinitsownmunicipalcourt.Thecoalitionscoredapartialwinagainstthecitygovernment,forcingittoreturntheseizedbikes.Farmorevaluable,saysNi,wasthesympatheticcoveragetheyreceivedfromnationalmediaandthewarningthatattentionsenttoothermunicipalities.WhatwetoldothergovernmentsisthatiftheydothesameasFuzhou,therewillbesometrouble,hesays.Conflictoverelectricbikesisntlimitedtothemunicipalitiesandthemanufacturers.EventheChinaBicycleAssociationhasbeenclashingwithsomecompanies,includingLuyuan,overwhattypesofelectrictwo-wheelersshouldbeontheroadseephoto,TheBasicBike.Thebikegroupenforcesanationalstandardforelectricbicycles,andwhicheverparameteryouchooseweight(nomorethan40kilograms),width(220millimetersforthepedalshaft),speed(20km/h,maximum)manyofthelatestelectricscooterseitherflunkorthwartthestandard.Lotsofelectricscooters,forexample,areoutfittedwithnonfunctioningpedalsandwithspeed-limitingdevicesdesignedforeasyremovalafterpurchase.Luyuanslatestmachinedoesntjustskirttheelectric-bikestandard；itrumblesrightoverit.LuyuancallsitsnewproducttheLEV,shortforlightelectricvehicle,andNiopenlyadmitsthatitsmorethanabicycle.LuyuansWebsitecallsitanelectricmotorcycle,andthatseemsfitting:theLEVweighsinat95kg；its48-V,20-AHbatterypacksdoubletheenergyofthestandardbike；andits500-wattCPU-controlledmotorpropelsitto35km/h.TheLEVhasnoofficialstatusinChina.Nevertheless,onwhatshouldbeaslowsalesdayataLuyuanretailoutletindowntownJinhua,theLEVsareflyingoutthedoor.Inthespaceofanhour,oneissnappedupbya25-year-oldman,andaworkingmotherrollsoutwithanother.WhydidshechooseanLEV?Shedrivesherratherbig-bonedsontoschoolandprefersanLEVtoagas-poweredscooter,pointingtotheendemicairpollutionhangingoverthecity.NiisbettingthatgovernmentswillsanctiontheLEVifitprovespopular.HesayshebelievesthatLuyuanhasaddressedtheoneconcernmunicipalitiescouldlevelagainsttheLEVthatmighthavestuck:reducedsafetyduetothecyclesgreaterweight.TheLEVemploysanelectricdrumbrakethat,Niclaims,stopsitfasterthanthecantileverbrakesusedongarden-varietyelectricbikescould.Aisalsointheworksthatwouldboostbrakingpowerbyusingthein-hubmotorasageneratortopullenergyoutofthewheels,extendingthevehiclesrangebysimultaneouslychargingthebattery.Evertheentrepreneur,NiseesthesuccessoftheLEVasasteptowardbiggerandbetterthings.Healreadyhashiseyeonthemarketforsmalldeliveryvehicles,andheevenimaginesLuyuanmakingelectriccarsandchallengingthemajorautomakers.Theyareinvestingmoney,sayingwearegoingtochangethegasolinesystemtoelectric,hepointsout.Butwillthebigcompaniesreallybewillingtodestroytheirownfactoriestobuildthenewones?InNisview,small,aggressiveChinesecompanieslikeLuyuanaremorelikelytodrivetheEVrevolution,becausetheyhavenothingtolose.THEBIGGESTCHALLENGEfacingelectric-bikemakersmaynotbemunicipalbans,conservativestandards,oreventechnology.Itmaybetheroads.ChinaisfollowingthedevelopmentpathofWesterncountrieslikeamap,rapidlyredesigningitscitiesaroundtheautomobile.AcrossChina,citiesarerejectingamixed-usemodelandredevelopingalongastrictzoningmodel,razingresidentialbuildingsincentercitiestomakewayforshinyofficetowersandpavingfarmlandontheperipherytocreatelargeindustrialparks.Displacedfromtheurbancenters,housesandotherresidentialbuildingsarespringingupinsprawlingsuburbs,justastheydidintheWestdecadesago.Theautomobileiskinginthismodel,becauseintheabsenceofextensivepublictransit,carsaretheonlywaytogetfromdistantsuburbstoofficesandindustryparks.Tomakewayformorecars,Chinascitiesarewideningtheirmainroadsandbuildinghighways.Theresulthasbeenarapidincreaseinautomobileusethat,justasitdoeseverywhereelseintheworld,almostinstantlyabsorbstheextraroadways.TheresultinggridlockhasbeenespeciallyacuteinChinascapital.Beijinghad1millioncarsin1997andwasonceexpectedtoreach2millionin2008.Instead,ithit2millionlastyearandnowexpects3.5milliontobeinusein2008.Alloverthecountry,theybelievethatwiderroadsaremoreefficientfortraffic.Theyrewrong,saysYuKongjian,anurbanplanningexpertatBeijingUniversity.Carcultureisadisasterforthebicycle.Roadwideningoftencomesattheexpenseofbikelanes,whilehighwaysareoff-limitstobikesandnearlyimpossibletocross.Onthesmallerroadways,rush-hourtrafficblocksthebikelanesandintersections,promptingoutburstsofroadragefromfrustratedcyclists.Yuusedtocycle20to30minutesbetweenworkandhome,buthenowdrivesa10-to60-minutetrip,dependingonthetraffic.Itstoodangeroustobike,sopeoplegiveup.Igaveup,hesays.5b3B!Yuisconfidentthat,inthelongrun,itisthegasguzzlersthatwillbeforcedtogiveway.Onereasonisgridlock.AnotherisChinasendemicurbanpollutionseephoto,PeaSoup.OnallbutthebestdaysinJinhua,forexample,thecityskylinedisappearsbehindadensehazeofsmogandparticulates；moreandmoreofthatatmosphericsoupispouringoutoftailpipes.ItsthestrategiccostofpetroleumthatinspiresprofessorHesconfidenceintheelectricbike.Chinasoilimportsareonthesameexponentialgrowthpathasitscarfleet.ChinahaseclipsedJapanasthesecond-biggestimporterofoil,bringingitintodirectcompetitionwiththeworldsleadingconsumerofpetroleum:theUnitedStates.Withimportdependenceandenvironmentalburdensinmind,Chinahaspromulgatedfuel-efficiencystandardsthatarestricterinprinciplethanthosecurrentlyinforceintheUnitedStates,anditisconsideringimpositionofa20to50percentnationaltaxonretailgasolineanddiesel.IFCHINACANFINDAWAYtomakerelativelyefficientelectricbikesasignificantpartofitstransportationsystem,itcouldhavemajorrepercussionselsewhereinthedevelopinganddevelopedworld.ThatincludestheUnitedStates,whichhastheworldsmostcar-dependentculture.UnlikeJapanandEurope,wherebicycles,trains,andotherformsoftransportationstillthrive,theUnitedStatesisoneofthefewplaceswherepeoplemovealmostexclusivelybycar.AsWaveCrestsBenjaminputsit,Weliveinabubble.地方官員常用的這樣的借口來拒絕電動自行車：鉛酸電池會污染環境；電動車會干擾機動車輛行駛，阻塞交通；特別是對公交系統造成巨大沖擊。積極為綠色交通奔走呼吁的請愿人士說，這些借口蒼白無力，不過是試圖去保護電動車的競爭者而已。中國科學院著名理論物理學家，院士何祚庥一針見血地指出：“真正的原因就是來自利益集團的競爭。”何院士在有關環境和能源政策的公共辯論中一向直言。他說反對電動車的理由沒有一條真正站得住腳：汽車上用的也是鉛酸電池，他特別補充：“真正的污染源不是電動車，而是汽車。”如果現有的交通運營者們和制造商們想與電動車競爭，就要為大眾提供效率更高，價格更便宜，更清潔的交通工具。但問題是，與其它競爭者相比，電動車廠商微不足道，特別是汽車產業，吸引了數十億美元的外國投資。在中國官方制定的五年計劃中，汽車生產已經被列為“支柱產業”。盡管面臨著嚴酷的生存挑戰，但電動自行車廠商們并沒有退卻，而是知難而進，并取得了驚人成功。綠源電動車公司的董事長倪捷是代表電動車產業界的靈魂人物，他從一家小企業開始艱苦創業，以務實的態度開拓市場，并取得成規模的研究開發成果，對中國電動車的技術發展有獨到的見解。綠源電動公司一開始是從政府風險投資中分離出來的。九年前，綠源現任總經理胡繼紅(倪捷的妻子)制造出第一臺樣機，綠源公司成立了，隨后在倪捷和胡繼紅的領導下，公司改為私營，并且從最初的投資者手里買下了所有產權。公司成長迅猛，去年業績傲人，電動自行車和踏板電動車銷量達到了12萬輛，今年的銷售目標是30萬輛。去尋找綠源，要從上海市一路南下，來到金華。這是浙江省的一座城市，人口百萬，工業重鎮。順著金華市工業園的公路就可以找到綠源公司的總部。倪捷的辦公室坐落在辦公樓的一角，寬敞舒適，是公司里為數不多的帶暖氣的房間之一，寒冷的二月里，這一點顯得尤為突出。倪捷煙不離手，喝著泡著濃濃的綠茶的廣口杯，侃侃道來創業的艱辛與收獲。他說，在中國的大多數城市里，交通是個首要問題，電動車是昂貴的轎車和擁擠的公交車的首選替代品和補充品。“如果政府沒有明確的解決方案，人民就可以按自己的辦法去行動，沒有理由去阻