電動方程式燃起北京治霾新希望
Ever since some English textile magnates dreamt of adding an inch to every Chinese shirttail in the 19th century, foreign companies have sought to supply the world’s most populous market with a product that the people of China want and local industry cannot provide.
自19世紀一些英國紡織業大亨夢想讓每個中國人的襯衣下襬加長一英寸以來，外國企業一直試圖爲這個世界人口最多的市場提供一種中國民衆想要、當地廠商提供不了的產品。
Alejandro Agag, chief executive of the Formula E electric car championship, may have just such a product. And better yet in a country where overseas businesses prosper when they align their interests with the powers that be, it may also be a product that can help a senior Chinese Communist party official keep his job.
電動方程式(Formula E)錦標賽首席執行官阿雷讓德羅阿加戈(Alejandro Agag)或許剛好有這樣一種產品。而且，更好的是，在一個外國公司只有在自身利益與當權者的利益保持一致時才能壯大的國家，該產品或許還可以幫助一名共產黨高官保住自己的職位。
Last year Beijing’s mayor rashly promised to resign — or “offer up my own head” as he put it — if the Chinese capital’s notorious air pollution was not cleaned up by 2017.
去年，北京市長王安順輕率地許諾：到2017年治理不好中國首都臭名昭著的空氣污染，他就辭職——或者用他的話說“提頭來見”。
For a while it looked like Wang Anshun’s job and head were safe, with even the likes of Greenpeace saying this year that Beijing’s air quality was improving. In recent weeks, however, there has been a return of extremely hazardous smogs reminiscent of the “airpocalypse” that descended on Beijing three years ago. Outraged local residents have been quick to remind Mr Wang of his pledge.
有一陣子，王安順的職位和腦袋看來還是安全的，甚至像綠色和平(Greenpeace)這樣的機構都表示北京今年的空氣質量有所改善。然而，最近幾周，極具毒害的霧霾又回來了，這讓人們回想起三年前曾降臨北京的“空氣末日”(airpocalypse)。憤怒的北京民衆立刻提醒王安順，別忘記自己的承諾。
That’s where the Formula E championship, now in its second season, comes in. Billed as a cleaner, greener alternative to Formula One motorsport, Formula E recently held the opening race of its 2015-16 calendar in Beijing. It may help to boost the appeal of electric vehicles, which have failed to capture the popular imagination despite tax and registration incentives introduced by Chinese policymakers.
這正是電動方程式錦標賽（目前正在舉辦第二個賽季）來到北京的原因。號稱比一級方程式(Formula One)更清潔、更環保，電動方程式近期在北京舉行了2015-16賽季的首場比賽。該賽事或許有助於提升電動汽車的吸引力——儘管中國政策制定者在稅收及牌照方面出臺了激勵措施，電動汽車一直未能獲得中國民衆的青睞。
While monthly sales of electric vehicles have soared from 6,500 units in January to more than 34,000 in October, they account for a tiny percentage of the world’s largest car market. Even Tesla, which sparked a brief surge of interest when it entered China last year, has struggled to maintain traction.
雖然電動汽車月銷量從1月的6500輛飆升至10月的3.4萬輛，但它們在中國這個全球最大汽車市場中所佔比例非常小。甚至連去年進入中國時曾短暫掀起一股熱潮的特斯拉(Tesla)，也在艱難地維持着品牌吸引力。
Chinese drivers’ concerns about the availability of electric charging facilities and falling oil prices have reinforced their traditional preference for petrol power, contributing to the country’s environmental crisis. Yesterday Beijing introduced a series of emergency “red alert” pollution measures, one of which restricts car owners to driving only on alternate days.
中國司機對於充電設施便利性的擔憂以及油價下跌加強了他們對燃油動力汽車的傳統偏愛，進一步加劇了中國的環境危機。近日，北京發佈了空氣重污染“紅色預警”，並宣佈了一系列緊急治污措施，其中包括實施機動車單雙號限行。
Mr Agag reckons Formula E can succeed where Tesla has so far failed by generating sustained interest in electric vehicles in China — and perhaps even solve some of the technical challenges that have impeded the industry’s development.
阿加戈認爲，電動方程式能夠通過在中國激起對電動汽車的持久興趣，完成特斯拉迄今未竟之業——或許還可能解決一些阻礙電動汽車產業發展的技術難題。
After an inaugural season in which Formula E competitors raced identical cars, this year the rules were changed to allow the circuit’s 10 teams — including a Chinese one — to develop their own vehicles. The result has been a technological arms race. “Teams have started developing their own technology,” Mr Agag says. “Of the 10 teams, we have seven different power trains. That is what will make possible advances that will filter down to road cars.”
在首個賽季中，參賽選手駕駛的都是同一款賽車，而今年的規則做了修改，允許參賽的10支車隊（包括一支中國車隊）研發自己的賽車。這引發了一場技術競賽。“各隊已經開始研發自己的技術，”阿加戈說，“10支車隊中，有七種不同的動力傳動系。這樣才能帶來日後有望應用到公路車輛上的進步。”
Formula E cars have boosted their energy “recovery” rate — by capturing and reusing energy expended on braking, for example — to 18 per cent, against initial expectations of just 10 per cent. Thanks to such innovations, the championship’s cars may be able to double their range in five years.
電動方程式比賽用車將“能量回收率”提升至18%（例如，通過吸收和再利用制動消耗的能量），而最初的預期僅爲10%。得益於此類創新，該賽事用車有可能在五年內將可行駛里程翻倍。
In addition to technology wars under the hood, Formula E is deploying audience engagement gimmicks to appeal to a younger, smartphone-addicted audience that is quickly bored by cars driving around in circles.
除了引擎蓋下的技術戰，電動方程式也致力於開發觀衆參與環節，以吸引較年輕的、沉迷於智能手機的觀衆——因爲他們可能很快就會對轉圈行駛的賽車感到厭倦。
The three most popular Formula E drivers — determined by fan votes cast before and at the start of each race — get to deploy a “fan boost” of additional electric power. “Formula E is a mix between a race and a video game,” says Mr Agag. “We need to catch the new generation which is abandoning motorsport at an incredible speed. If you don’t offer them what they want and what they like, they will just not be there.”
人氣最高的三名電動方程式車手——在每輪比賽開始之前以及開始時由車迷投票評選出來——可以獲得作爲“粉絲動力”的額外電力。“電動方程式是賽車與電子遊戲的結合，”阿加戈說，“我們需要吸引新一代人，他們正在以不可思議的速度拋棄賽車運動。如果不提供他們想要和喜歡的東西，他們是不會來的。”
Such reality television type tricks may make purists groan. But there is no denying that giving fans the ability to influence outcomes has a special vicarious appeal in authoritarian China, where people do not have the liberty of voting out mayors who cannot clean up the air.
這種類似電視真人秀的把戲可能會令正統主義者不滿。但無可否認的是，賦予車迷影響比賽結果的能力在威權統治下的中國具有特殊的吸引力——讓人間接地體驗到權利——因爲這裏的人們沒法通過選舉讓治霾不力的市長下臺。
