????一直以來，電動汽車銷量平平，這并不是什么秘密。

????我們很容易為此找出一大堆理由來：經(jīng)濟形勢不佳，油價穩(wěn)定，功能性不足，內(nèi)燃機性能提升，不切實際的期望，市場對其他替代燃料的興趣日益增長等。

????日產(chǎn)聆風（Nissan Leaf）上市已經(jīng)一年有半了，銷售上卻始終沒有起色。7月，只有395輛聆風找到了買家。而今年日產(chǎn)的目標是賣掉2萬輛。現(xiàn)在看來，要實現(xiàn)這個目標還還有很長一段路要走。自今年1月1日開始到7月，日產(chǎn)僅賣出了3,543輛聆風。而與此同時，被福特汽車（Ford）寄予厚望的新產(chǎn)品——電動車福克斯（Focus）EV，推向市場不久即停滯不前。7月，福特的這款車僅售出38輛，不到6月銷量89輛的一半。

????本來，電動車愛好者們希望，特斯拉汽車公司（Tesla）的新款車S能為電動車領(lǐng)域爭一口氣，激發(fā)市場的熱情。但對艾倫?馬斯克創(chuàng)辦的這家公司來說，它抓起訂單來似乎要比生產(chǎn)汽車更拿手。公司宣稱，S已獲得11,500張訂單，但同時又表示，每周只能生產(chǎn)10輛。照這個速度，特斯拉公司需要22年才能完成這批訂單。

????難得的一絲曙光來自雪佛蘭（Chevrolet）的沃藍達（Volt）。通用汽車（General Motors ）堅稱這是一款“延程電動車”（range-extended electric vehicle），但它實際上更像是一款插電式混合動力車。由于今年夏天這款車在加州的銷量猛增，因此它的整體業(yè)績表現(xiàn)更為理想。單獨駕駛沃藍達的車主現(xiàn)在可在加州使用拼車車道（carpool lane）——這在交通擁堵的加州可是極高的優(yōu)待。

????電動汽車現(xiàn)在需要擁有更高性能的新車型，這樣才能為電動車贏得人氣。而本田汽車（Honda）的電動版飛度（Fit EV）雖然還存在一些不足，但它有資格擔當這一重任，成為人們熱議的對象。

????在本田僅有的極少數(shù)現(xiàn)車中，我借了一輛電動版飛度，試駕期限是三天。正是這次試駕重新喚醒了我對新技術(shù)的信心。這輛飛度將我對電動汽車的神秘感幾乎一掃而空。它讓駕駛者清晰地了解了電動車的潛力和局限所在。而且，和我近期試駕的所有車型，包括燃油車或電動車相比，它都更富有駕駛樂趣。

????它打動我的關(guān)鍵在于透明度。在儀表盤上，本田清除了那些無關(guān)緊要的數(shù)據(jù)，清楚展示了對電動車駕駛者來說最為關(guān)鍵的那個數(shù)據(jù)：續(xù)航里程。

????另外，它的續(xù)航里程數(shù)是逐漸穩(wěn)步下降的，而沒有任何讓人心驚肉跳的陡然下降——至少我的體會是這樣。絕不會出現(xiàn)這種情形：還有10英里就要開到家了，這時電動車突然告訴你，續(xù)航行駛只剩9英里了。

????電動版飛度會向駕駛者清晰報告所有與續(xù)航里程相關(guān)的因素。它共有三種能量使用模式：經(jīng)濟型、正常型和運動型，無論調(diào)到哪一種能量模式，續(xù)航行駛數(shù)的相應(yīng)改變都會立刻顯示出來。而如果打開制冷空調(diào)或暖氣這類消耗能量的設(shè)備，續(xù)航行駛數(shù)也會相應(yīng)下降并清晰顯示出來。

????這款車甚至強大到可以作為一輛特別實用的日常用車。充滿電后調(diào)到經(jīng)濟模式，我這輛車顯示的續(xù)航里程是116英里。變?yōu)檎ＤＪ綍r，里程數(shù)減少到100英里——對絕大多數(shù)用途來說，這個數(shù)字已經(jīng)足夠了。而在運動模式下，續(xù)航里程還會減少10%，但卻能顯著增加駕駛樂趣。本田稱，電動版飛度在運動模式下的加速性能與燃油車旗鼓相當，比如排量為2.0或以上的大眾捷達（Volkswagen Jetta）。

????燃油版的飛度駕控快捷、響應(yīng)靈敏，一直就富有駕駛樂趣。而電池驅(qū)動的電機產(chǎn)生的即時扭矩使這種駕駛樂趣更上一層樓。實際上，從經(jīng)濟模式一路切換到正常模式再到運動模式，駕駛者就能立即獲得強烈的推背感。盡管鋰電池額外增加了600多磅的重量，卻很難感覺到它的存在。這是一輛少有的讓人感覺輕盈的電動汽車。

????不過這款車的價格卻是一大阻礙。它只供租用，租期三年的租金是每月389美元。本田稱，這與同樣選用高檔內(nèi)飾的燃油版飛度月租金完全一樣，租約條款相似。而聆風和沃藍達都要稍微便宜些。日產(chǎn)最近將聆風的租金下調(diào)為：租賃39個月，月租金為289美元。而沃藍達三年租期的租金是每個月369美元。

????還有更糟糕的消息。本田目前計劃只生產(chǎn)1,100輛電動版飛度，最開始只在美國加州和俄勒岡州投放——因為這兩個州已建成的電動車基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施最多。到2013年年初，本田將把投放區(qū)域擴大到美國東海岸的6個城市。對于區(qū)區(qū)1,100輛車來說，這些投放區(qū)域已經(jīng)太大了。如果它出現(xiàn)在你們家附近，你可以毫不費力地認出它來，因為電動版飛度只提供藍色涂裝，用戶別無選擇。

????作為一款本田旗下的電動車，電動版飛度不會獲得像其他那些大肆宣傳的電動車一樣的知名度。再者，有朝一日整個電動車熱潮都有可能急劇降溫。“水力壓裂法”（hydrofracking）這類新技術(shù)使得人們可以生產(chǎn)更多的汽油，與此同時，天然氣供應(yīng)量也在不斷增長，使壓縮天然氣對車隊用戶來說更富吸引力。不過，對于急需活力的電動車市場來說，電動版飛度還是帶來了些許可貴的正能量。

????譯者：清遠

????It is no secret that sales of electric vehicles haven't been burning up the track.

????You can identify any number of reasons why: unsettled economic conditions, stable gasoline prices, lack of functionality, improved internal combustion engines, unrealistic expectations, growing interest in other alternative fuels.

????The Nissan Leaf, which has been on sale for a year and a half, has failed to get traction. Only 395 found owners in July. Nissan is standing behind its goal of selling 20,000 Leafs (Leaves?) this year, but it has a long way to go. Through July, it has moved just 3,543 since January 1. Meanwhile, the new kid on the block,Ford's Focus EV, has stalled coming out of the gate. Ford (F,Fortune 500) sold 38 Focus electrics in July, less than half the 89 sold in June.

????EV enthusiasts had hoped that Tesla's new model S would generate some enthusiasm for the segment, but Elon Musk's company has been more successful getting orders for its cars than actually building them. The company claims it has 11,500 "reservations" for the S but says it is only building ten cars a week. At that rate, Tesla will need 22 years to work off its backlog.

????One ray of light has been the Chevrolet Volt, which General Motors (,Fortune 500) insists be referred to as a "range-extended electric vehicle" but really functions more like a plug-in hybrid. They're doing better this summer after getting a boost in California. Solo Volt drivers are now allowed to use the carpool lanes there -- a highly-valued option in the traffic-clogged Golden State.

????What EVs need are new models with greater capability that generate some enthusiasm for the segment. Despite some drawbacks, the Honda Fit EV could be one of the buzz-builders.

????With only a smidgen of cars available, Honda loaned me a Fit EV for three days of driving, and it reawakened my belief in the potential of new technology. The Fit takes most of the mystery out of EVs, gives drivers a clear understanding of the car's potential as well as its limitations, and is more fun to drive than anything I've been in recently -- gasoline or electric.

????The key is transparency. Honda has cleared away extraneous data from the instrument panel and prominently displayed the single piece of data most essential to EV drivers: range.

????Moreover, the range decreases in a measured, methodical way that -- at least in my experience -- isn't subject to any stomach-churning drops. There's nothing like being ten miles from home after being abruptly informed that your EV range has sunk to nine miles.

????All the factors that can affect driving range are clearly posted. The Fit EV has three levels of energy usage: Econ, Normal, and Sport. Select any of the three, and the change in range registers immediately. Turn on an energy-sucking accessory like air conditioning or heater, and another gauge passes on the bad news.

????The Fit EV even has enough oomph to make it an eminently practical daily driver. Running in Econ mode, my fully recharged car registered a range of 116 miles. Shifting to normal driving and it dropped to 100 miles -- still ample for most uses. Sport mode exacted an additional mileage penalty of 10%, but it did increase the fun factor. Honda says the acceleration in sport mode is equivalent to a gasoline car like the Volkswagen Jetta with an engine displacement of 2.0 liters or more.

????Quick and responsive, the gasoline-powered Fit has always been fun to drive, and the instant torque generated by the battery-powered motor makes it even more so. By, in effect, downshifting from Eco to Normal to Sport, you get an immediate and gratifying jump forward. Although the lithium-ion batteries add more than 600 pounds of weight, you hardly know they are there. This is the rare EV that feels light to the touch.

????Price is a bit of a stumbling block. The Fit EV is only available for lease, and the tab for three years is $389 per month. Honda says that is equivalent to the monthly lease for a gas-powered Fit in similar upscale trim under similar terms with no money down. Both the Leaf and the Volt are a bit less expensive. Nissan recently cut the price for a Leaf lease to as low as $289 a month for 39 months. A three-year lease for the Volt goes for $369 a month.

????Worse news is availability. Honda plans to make only 1,100 Fit EVs available. Initially you'll only find them in California and Oregon -- states with the most built-out EV infrastructure. In early 2013 Honda will expand availability to six East Coast cities. That's a lot of ground to cover with only 1,100 cars. You won't have any trouble recognizing one if it turns up in your neighborhood, though. Customers can get a Fit EV in any color they want as long as it is electric blue.

????Being a Honda, the Fit EV probably won't be getting as much visibility as other more publicized EV efforts. Moreover, the bloom may be coming off the entire EV movement. New technologies like hydrofracking are expanding the availability of oil, while supplies of natural gas keep growing, making compressed natural gas more attractive to fleet users. Still, the Fit EV brings some welcome energy to a segment that really needs it.