We’re going to turn next to the future of auto travel. There’s a company that plans to mass- produce and put on the roads an electric car. It’ll be for sale in just a few months. The company is in China and their cars will be sold eventually in the US. Here’s Stephanie Sy in Southern China.
As America’s automakers appear to be running on empty, a little-known Chinese carmaker has shifted into high gear. BYD has introduced the first electric plug-in car for mass production and is hoping to sell it in the US. “We see clearly that, uh, the trend in the future is going to be alternative energy and green energy solutions.”
Unlike hybrid cars, the F3 DM, which stands fordual motor, can run entirely on electricity. No gas, no toxicemissions. The battery is recharged by plugging it into an ordinary wall outlet. A small gas engine serves as a back-up if the battery runs dry. "So basically, a good night’s sleep, you get up, unplug your car, get in, and you’re good to go." “Just like charging your cell phones in the evening.”
In seven hours it’s fully charged and able to run for more than 60 miles. That’s 20 miles more than GM’s Chevy Volt, which isn’t slated for launch until 2010. The F3 DM is an affordable $22,000, nearly half the estimated price of the Volt, although GM’s car is more high tech and expected to handle better.
“If they bring it in even close to the price that they’re talking about, it will make a big difference, and there’s probably some people in Detroit that are freaking out about it.” “From a single battery producer…” So how did a relatively unknown Chinese company, which produces only a few hundred thousand cars a year, beat the world’s biggest automakers to the finish line?
For starters, China, now the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is encouraging the development of environmentally-friendly vehicles. BYD started out as a manufacturer of cell phone batteries and only produced its first car five years ago. Save for the windows and the tires, the company produces almost all the parts for its cars. That’s one of the keys to its success. The next breakthrough for the Chinese company is penetrating the US market, which BYD plans to do by 2011. By then, it may have some competition. Stephanie Sy, ABC News, Shenzhen, China.
※ start out 1. (여행을) 출발하다, 떠나다 (to begin a trip) ex. We started out at five o'clock and got there at eight. 2. to begin as one thing and develop into something else ex. Some businesses start out as hobbies. ex. He started out as a salesperson before turning to poetry. 3. to intend to do or be something ex. She didn't start out to be a model.
mass-produce : 대량 생산하다, 양산하다 run on empty : 휘발류가 떨어진채로 달리 다,활기를 잃다 high gear : 최고속 기어, 최고 속도, 최고조 ex. Everybody is in high gear at work these days. * shift into high gear 최고 속도로 변속하 다, 박차를 가하다 * shift [ switch/ change] gears 기어를 바꾸다. 태도[방침]를 바꾸다 ex. With business concluded, the convention changes gear and becomes like a huge party. plug-in : 플러그 접속식의 alternative energy : 대체 에너지 green energy : 녹색 에너지, 청정 에너지 hybrid : 잡종, 혼혈아 (half-breed). 혼성물, 잡종의, 혼혈의 stand for : ~의 약어[약자]이다, ~을 나타내다, ~을 표방하다 /if someone stands for a particular principle, they believe that principle is important ex. The letters ATM stand for Automated Teller Machine. ex. I hate them and everything they stand for. * short for: Memo is short for memorandum. * for short: My name is Elizabeth, or Liz for short. dual : 둘의, 이중의 toxic : 유독한 (poisonous) (toxicity (유)독성) ex. toxic waste : 유독성 폐기물 emission : (굴뚝 엔진 등으로부터의) 배기, 배출, 배출물(질), 방 출, 방사물, 방출물 * emit <빛 열 향기 등을> 내뿜다, 배출하다, 방사하다 outlet : (전기의) 코드 구멍, 콘센트, (액체 기체 등의) 출구, 방출 구, (감정 등의) 배출구, (제조업자의) 판매점 (a shop or place where a particular product is sold) ex. Most of their sales are through traditional retail outlets. ex. Many young people find music their best outlet for creative ｅxpression. back up : 지지하다, <물이> 거꾸로 흐르다, 역류하다, <교 통 등이> 밀리다, 정체하다, 뒤로 좀 물러서다 ex. If I ask for more money will you back me up? ex. All the evidence backs up her story. ex. Traffic is backing up on all out-of-town routes. ex. Cars were backed up for miles. ex. I need everyone to back up about 10 paces. * backup :지원, (차량의) 정체, 대용(품), 여벌, 백업 run dry : 마르다 good to go : 1. 순조로운 2. ready to do something ex. It was good to go. 일이 잘되었다. slate : [종종 수동형으로] 예정하다, 계획하다 ex. The conference was slated for the next week. 회의는 다음 주로 예정되었다. ex. The delegation is slated to arrive next week. 대표단은 내주에 도착할 예정이다. launch : <배를> 진수시키다.<사업 계획 개혁 등을> 시 작하다, ~ 에 착수하다, <신제품을> 발매하다, 공격 등을 시작하다, <미사일 등을> 발사하다, 쏘아 올리다, 진수, 발진, 발사, 발매 ex. launch a canoe 카누를 물에 띄우다 / launch wide social reforms 광범한 사회 개혁에 착수하다 / launch a torpedo 어뢰를 발사하 다 / launch an artificial satellite 인공 위성을 쏘아 올리다 /ex. launch pad : 미사일발사대 affordable : (가격 등이) 알맞은, 감당할 수 있는 (cheap enough for ordinary people to afford) ex. affordable housing/childcare estimate : 견적, 추정, 견적하다, 추정하다 ex. It's difficult to estimate the cost of making your house safe. ex. The Antarctic ice cap is estimated to contain 90% of the world's fresh water. ex. The total cost was estimated at $ 50 million. ex. We estimate that 20 per cent of the harvest has been lost. ex. An estimated 300,000 people came to the demonstration freak out : to become or make you become so angry, surprised, excited, or frightened that you cannot control yourself ex. She just freaked out when she saw the police. ex. Meeting my dad again after all these years really freaked me out * freak : 1. 이상 현상, 변종(something with very unusual features that make it very different from other things of its type) 2. 괴짜 (someone who looks strange or behaves in a strange way) ex. If you don't like sport they regard you as a freak. 3. 광(狂) (someone who is extremely interested in a particular subject or activity) ex. a fitness/health freak 4. 별난, 괴상한 ex. a freak hailstorm in summer beat ~ to the finish line : to achieve something before someone for starters: = for [as] a starter 우선, 첫째로 ex. Let's try this problem for a starter. emit : <빛 열 향기 등을> 내뿜다, 배출하다, 방사하다 * emission : (굴뚝 엔진 등으로부터의) 배기, 배출, 배출물 (질), 방출, 방사 물, 방출물 greenhouse gas : 온실가스 environmentally-friendly : 환경친화적인 start out : save for : ~을 제외하고는 ex. I can eat everything, save for insects. breakthrough : (적진) 돌파, (과학 등의) 큰 발전, 약 진, (방해 난관의) 돌파 (구), 타개 (책) / a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work. ex. Detectives are still waiting for a breakthrough in their investigations. ex. Scientists predict a major breakthrough within six months. penetrate : <빛·소리·탄환 등이> ~을 뚫고 나가다, 관통하다(pierce), ~에 침투하다