Ever since some English textile magnates dreamt ofadding an inch to every Chinese shirttail in the 19thcentury, foreign companies have sought to supply the world’s most populous market with aproduct that the people of China want and local industry cannot provide.
自19世紀一些英國紡織業富翁妄想讓每其中國人的襯衣下擺加長一英寸以來，外國企業一向試圖為這個天下生齒至多的市場供給一種中公民眾想要、本地廠商供給不了的產物。
Alejandro Agag, chief executive of the Formula E electric car championship, may have justsuch a product. And better yet in a country where overseas businesses prosper when theyalign their interests with the powers that be, it may also be a product that can help a seniorChinese Communist party official keep his job.
電動方程式(Formula E)錦標賽首席履行官阿雷讓德羅阿加戈(Alejandro Agag)大概恰好有如許一種產物。並且，更好的是，在一個外國公司只有在本身好處與當權者的好處堅持同等時能力強大的國度，該產物大概還可以贊助一位共產黨高官保住本身的職位。
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.
客歲，北京市長王安順草率地承諾：到2017年管理欠好中國都城汙名昭著的氛圍汙染，他就告退——大概用他的話說“提頭來見”。
For a while it looked like Wang Anshun’s job and head were safe, with even the likes ofGreenpeace 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” thatdescended on Beijing three years ago. Outraged local residents have been quick to remind MrWang of his pledge.
有一陣子，王安順的職位和腦殼看來照樣平安的，乃至像綠色寧靜(Greenpeace)如許的機構都表現北京本年的氛圍質量有所改良。但是，比來幾周，極具迫害的霧霾又返來了，這讓人們回憶起三年前曾到臨北京的“氛圍末日”(airpocalypse)。惱怒的北京大眾連忙提示王安順，別忘卻本身的許諾。
That’s where the Formula E championship, now in its second season, comes in. Billed as acleaner, greener alternative to Formula One motorsport, Formula E recently held the openingrace 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 incentivesintroduced by Chinese policymakers.
這恰是電動方程式錦標賽(今朝正在舉行第二個賽季)來到北京的緣故原由。號稱比一級方程式(Formula One)更幹凈、更環保，電動方程式近期在北京舉辦了2015-16賽季的首場競賽。該賽事大概有助於晉升電動汽車的吸引力——只管中國政策制訂者在稅收及派司方面出台了鼓勵辦法，電動汽車一向未能得到中公民眾的青睞。
While monthly sales of electric vehicles have soared from 6,500 units in January to more than34,000 in October, they account for a tiny percentage of the world’s largest car market. EvenTesla, which sparked a brief surge of interest when it entered China last year, has struggled tomaintain traction.
固然電動汽車月銷量從1月的6500輛飆升至10月的3.4萬輛，但它們在中國這個環球最大汽車市場中所占比例異常小。乃至連客歲進入中國時曾短暫掀起一股高潮的特斯拉(Tesla)，也在艱苦地保持著品牌吸引力。
Chinese drivers’ concerns about the availability of electric charging facilities and falling oil priceshave reinforced their traditional preference for petrol power, contributing to the country’senvironmental crisis. Yesterday Beijing introduced a series of emergency “red alert” pollutionmeasures, one of which restricts car owners to driving only on alternate days.
中國司機對付充電舉措措施方便性的擔心和油價下跌增強了他們對燃油動力汽車的傳統偏心，進一步加重了中國的情況危急。克日，北京宣布了氛圍重汙染“赤色預警”，並宣告了一系列緊迫治汙辦法，個中包含實行靈活車單雙號限行。
Mr Agag reckons Formula E can succeed where Tesla has so far failed by generating sustainedinterest in electric vehicles in China — and perhaps even solve some of the technical challengesthat have impeded the industry’s development.
阿加戈以為，電動方程式可以或許經由過程在中國激發對電動汽車的長期興致，完成特斯拉迄今未竟之業——大概還大概辦理一些攔阻電動汽車家當成長的技巧困難。
After an inaugural season in which Formula E competitors raced identical cars, this year therules were changed to allow the circuit’s 10 teams — including a Chinese one — to develop theirown vehicles. The result has been a technological arms race. “Teams have started developingtheir 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統一款賽車，現在年的規矩做了修正，許可參賽的10支車隊(包含一支中國車隊)研發本身的賽車。這激發了一場技巧比賽。“各隊已開端研發本身的技巧，”阿加戈說，“10支車隊中，有七種分歧的動力傳動系。如許能力帶來往後有望運用到公路車輛上的提高。”
Formula E cars have boosted their energy “recovery” rate — by capturing and reusing energyexpended on braking, for example — to 18 per cent, against initial expectations of just 10 percent. Thanks to such innovations, the championship’s cars may be able to double their rangein five years.
電動方程式競賽用車將“能量收受接管率”晉升至18%(比方，經由過程接收和再應用制動消費的能量)，而最初的預期僅為10%。得益於此類立異，該賽事用車有大概在五年內將可行駛裏程翻倍。
In addition to technology wars under the hood, Formula E is deploying audience engagementgimmicks to appeal to a younger, smartphone-addicted audience that is quickly bored by carsdriving around in circles.
除引擎蓋下的技巧戰，電動方程式也致力於開辟觀眾介入關鍵，以吸引較年青的、陷溺於智妙手機的觀眾——由於他們大概很快就會對轉圈行駛的賽車覺得厭倦。
The three most popular Formula E drivers — determined by fan votes cast before and at thestart of each race — get to deploy a “fan boost” of additional electric power. “Formula E is amix between a race and a video game,” says Mr Agag. “We need to catch the new generationwhich is abandoning motorsport at an incredible speed. If you don’t offer them what theywant and what they like, they will just not be there.”
人氣最高的三名電動方程式車手——在每輪競賽開端以前和開端時由車迷投票評比出來——可以得到作為“粉絲動力”的分外電力。“電動方程式是賽車與電子遊戲的聯合，”阿加戈說，“咱們須要吸引新一代人，他們正在以難以想象的速率擯棄賽車活動。假如不供給他們想要和愛好的器械，他們是不會來的。”
Such reality television type tricks may make purists groan. But there is no denying that givingfans 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.
這類相似電視真人秀的花招大概會令閫統主義者不滿。但無能否認的是，付與車迷影響競賽成果的才能在威權統治下的中國具備特別的吸引力——讓人世接地感受到權力——由於這裏的人們無法經由過程推舉讓治霾不力的市長下台。
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