BBC：BYD, the top electric car maker that is not Tesla（2）

BYD versus Tesla

Elon Musk laughed during a 2011 television interview when asked about BYD and Chinese competitors. At the time, Tesla was still a young publicly traded company and had just unveiled a prototype of the first car they would launch - Model S.

Today, Mr Musk is probably regretting his response. Tesla sold 74,073 Chinese-made EVs in September, almost an 11% drop on the previous year, according to recent data from the China Passenger Car Association.

This is in stark contrast to BYD, which sold 286,903 cars during the same period. That's an almost 43% jump in sales of EVs and petrol-electric hybrid models.

The ironic twist is that Tesla is credited with the growing popularity of EVs in China. Green incentives did not entice customers to buy EVs until Tesla arrived.

Even now, it is "one of the favourite EV brands in China," said auto analyst Ivan Lam from Counterpoint Research, adding that it is still popular among younger buyers.

When China, the world's largest car market, wanted to bring more EVs to the country, it loosened the rules to allow foreign firms to fully own manufacturing and sales operations in the country. Before that, companies such as General Motors and Toyota needed a local partner even to build a factory in China.

When that changed, Tesla jumped at the opportunity. Even today, Tesla is the largest exporter of China-made EVs and the second-biggest seller of EVs in China.

Mr Musk has ambitious plans to expand his footprint in China and build enormous, battery warehouses that would act as an EV grid of sorts, powering charging stations.

He has also turned his attention to India, which is selling itself as an alternative competitor to the Chinese market. Mr Musk has said Tesla will be in India "as soon as humanly possible" after a meeting last June with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

   

分段注释

   

01

BYD versus Tesla

Elon Musk laughed during a 2011 television interview when asked about BYD and Chinese competitors. At the time, Tesla was still a young publicly traded company and had just unveiled a prototype of the first car they would launch - Model S.

比亚迪与特斯拉

2011年，埃隆·马斯克（Elon Musk）在一次电视采访被问及比亚迪和其他中国竞争车企时，被这个问题逗笑了。当时特斯拉还是家年轻的上市公司，刚刚推出了他们即将发布的第一款汽车——Model S。

注释    

• prototype  N 样品，测试用机，原型

02

Today, Mr Musk is probably regretting his response. Tesla sold 74,073 Chinese-made EVs in September, almost an 11% drop on the previous year, according to recent data from the China Passenger Car Association.

如今马斯克大概会后悔他当时对待这个问题的反应。根据中国的乘用车市场信息联席会（China Passenger Car Association）最近的数据显示，特斯拉9月份在中国仅售出了74,073辆在当地生产的电动汽车，同比几乎下降了11%。

注释    

• an 11% drop on the previous year  同比下降了11%

  (1)Drop ＝ a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity  N 下降，减少 

  E.g. a drop of 57 points on the Dow Jones index  道琼斯指数下跌了57个点。

  (2)on the previous year   与去年相比，即“同比”。

  on＝used when making a comparison   PREP（用于比较）与…相比。

  E.g. £950 is my final offer, and I can't improve on it.  950英镑是我出的最高价，我不可能再提价了。

  E.g.The productivity figures are down/up on last week's. 与上周相比，生产率下降／上升了。

03

This is in stark contrast to BYD, which sold 286,903 cars during the same period. That's an almost 43% jump in sales of EVs and petrol-electric hybrid models.

比亚迪与此形成鲜明对比，其在同一时期售出了286,903辆汽车，与去年同期的电动汽车和汽油-电动混合车型销量相比，增加了43%。

注释    

•  Be in stark contrast to sb/sth = be in sharp contrast to sb/sth = be in very noticeable contrast to sb/sth  与某人/某物形成了鲜明的对比

  (1)Be in contrast to sb/sth   与某人或某物形成对比

  E.g.The statement was in stark/sharp contrast to Tom's position on the matter.该声明与汤姆在该问题上的立场形成鲜明对比。

  (2)stark  ADJ 完全的；十足的；鲜明的

  (3)Sharp ADJ 鲜明的；明显的

•  an almost 43% jump in sales   销售额几乎增长了43%

  Jump  N 突升；暴涨；激增

  A jump in sth   某物数量激增（猛涨）

04

The ironic twist is that Tesla is credited with the growing popularity of EVs in China. Green incentives did not entice customers to buy EVs until Tesla arrived.

讽刺的是，特斯拉一直以来都被认为是推动中国电动汽车市场发展的功臣，在特斯拉进入中国市场之前，当局的一系列鼓励措施并没能成功吸引顾客购买电动汽车。

    注释    

• petrol-electric hybrid models  油电混动车。(1)hybrid models 混动车。

  (2)Hybrid  adj 混合的；混合动力的。

  (3)Hybrid  N-C 混合动力汽车，油电混动车。是的你没看错。Hybrid作为名词时，可以作为“petrol-electric hybrid model”的同义替换词，指油电混动车。

• ironic twist  讽刺的事件转折。

  (1)ironic  ADJ具有讽刺意味的 

  (2)twist  N （形势、故事等的）意想不到的转折

• Sb be credited with sth  将某事归功于某人

  Credit sb with sth ＝ attribute sth to sb  把某事归功于某人。相对于credit，attribute更强调对某人的责任或归因，而credit更强调对某人的认可、赞赏。

• entice sb to do sth 诱使某人做某事 【辨析】

• until 

  until 的用法：until之前的从句（clause）表达的状态须是持续的，无论是以否定的还是肯定的方式表达，只要是持续的就可以。until后面的就是一个不可持续的时间点，是“点”。所以：“一个持续状态” + until +“一个时间点”，表示：到此“时间点”某个“持续状态”结束。例如：Wait until the rain stops. 等雨停。“wait”是一个可持续的状态，“the rain stops”是个时间点。

 

05

 

Even now, it is "one of the favourite EV brands in China," said auto analyst Ivan Lam from Counterpoint Research, adding that it is still popular among younger buyers.

即使是现在，特斯拉仍然是“中国最受欢迎的电动汽车品牌”之一，据来自Counterpoint Research的汽车行业分析师Ivan Lam表示，特斯拉在年轻消费者群体中依然非常受欢迎。

    注释    

• Counterpoint Research   一个主要聚焦于科技市场的市场调查机构。

 

05

 

When China, the world's largest car market, wanted to bring more EVs to the country, it loosened the rules to allow foreign firms to fully own manufacturing and sales operations in the country. Before that, companies such as General Motors and Toyota needed a local partner even to build a factory in China.

中国作为世界上最大的汽车市场，已出台政策允许外国公司在其本国自主经营制造和销售业务，以促进国内电动汽车行业的发展。在此之前，像通用汽车和丰田这样的公司，即使要在中国建个厂子也要一个与中国本土的合作伙伴联营。

    注释    

• manufacturing  N-U 制造业

• sales operations  销售业务

  Operation  N-C 业务

  E.g.The company will soon begin operations.那家公司不久就要开始营业。 

  E.g. Learn about the company's operations.好好学学公司的业务活动。

 

06

 

When that changed, Tesla jumped at the opportunity. Even today, Tesla is the largest exporter of China-made EVs and the second-biggest seller of EVs in China

情况刚发生转变（指上述政策的出台），特斯拉就立即抓住了这个机会。如今特斯拉仍然是中国制造电动汽车的最大出口商，也是中国第二大电动汽车销售商。

    注释    

• jumped at the opportunity  迅速抓住机会

  Jump at sth =  accept sth eagerly    跃向某事或某物，急切地接受某事或某物

  E.g.We jumped at the chance of a trip to Paris.我们忙不迭抓住了去巴黎旅行的机会。

 

07

 

Mr Musk has ambitious plans to expand his footprint in China and build enormous, battery warehouses that would act as an EV grid of sorts, powering charging stations.

对于扩大在华业务，马斯克有一揽子的壮志雄心计划，并计划要建立规模巨大的电池仓库，用来充当类似于电动汽车的“电网”，为各充电站提供电力。

      注释    

• act as an EV grid of sorts, powering charging stations  充当一种电动汽车充电网络，为充电站提供动力。

  (1)grid ＝ a pattern or structure made from horizontal and vertical lines crossing each other to form squares   N 网格

  (2)of sorts＝ of a sort ＝ used to describe something which is not a typical or good example of something  勉强算的，勉强称得上的；

  E.g.He managed to make a curtain of sorts out of an old sheet.  他试图用一块旧床单做了一个类似窗帘的东西。

  E.g.Capitalism of a sort has existed for a number of years.  某种形式的资本主义已存在多年。

  E.g.He made a living of sorts. 他勉强维持生计（凑合着过日子）

• (3)Power sth = supply the force or power for the functioning of sth  VT 给...供能，给...提供动力

  E.g.The gasoline powers the engines.  用汽油给发动机供能。

  E.g.The train is powered by electricity. 这辆火车是用电供能的。

 

08

 

He has also turned his attention to India, which is selling itself as an alternative competitor to the Chinese market. Mr Musk has said Tesla will be in India "as soon as humanly possible" after a meeting last June with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

此外他还瞄准了印度市场。印度的对外宣传口现称其自己是能替代中国市场的竞争者。马斯克在去年6月与印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪的一次会面后表示，特斯拉将“尽人力所能地”在最短的时间内进入印度市场。

    注释    

• sell oneself as an alternative competitor to sb  对外宣称自己是可替代某人的竞争者。

  Sell sth  VT宣传，推荐某事E.g.Sell the government's tax policies宣传政府的税收政策

  E.g.Sell a political candidate to the public向公众推荐一位政党候选人