美国国家公共电台 NPR--California's phasing out of gas-powered cars will require infrastructure changes

California's phasing out of gas-powered cars will require infrastructure¹ changes

Transcript²

California will ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 2035. Is the grid³ ready? NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Margo Oge, former director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the EPA.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

California is changing the game. The state is adopting what is believed to be the world's most ambitious plan to phase out gas-powered cars. By 2035, new cars sold in California must be powered by electricity or hydrogen. Margo Oge is a former director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, and she joins us from Los Angeles.

Thank you so much for being with us.

MARGO OGE: Thank you for having me, Rachel.

MARTIN: Describe, if you could, how meaningful this change is in terms of the fight against climate change.

OGE: It's extraordinary (ph) meaningful. You know, California has been known to be leading not just the U.S., but the whole world when it comes to environmental protection. But this is probably the most significant action the state has taken. And if I dare to say, it's probably the single most important action that the U.S. is taking to address climate change. California represents something like 10% of cars sold in the U.S. And 17 states, I believe, have indicated that they will adopt the California program. That will be 40% of new car sales in the U.S. And that is pretty huge because basically what's going to happen is this will drive electric car market. It will drive innovation. And it clearly will transform the car industry altogether.

MARTIN: It is bold, as you said. There is a chance that other states will follow suit. Is it actually achievable? Will the auto⁴ industry be able to keep pace?

OGE: If you asked me this question, you know, five, seven years ago, I would say that would have been very, very challenging to be accomplished⁵. But today, you know, I believe that this is the first time that I have seen in the history of being a formal regulator, you know, over 30 years, that the industry, the car manufacturers and the state of California, the federal government, Europe are on the same page. General Motors, Ford⁶, Volvo, Daimler - they're planning to stop selling new cars by 2035 that are fueled by gasoline and diesel⁷. Some companies may complain. But overall, globally, there is over $500 billion that the industry is investing from now to 2026. So it's doable.

MARTIN: And some of that money has to go towards infrastructure, right?

OGE: Absolutely. And we have President Biden's infrastructure bill in place, new chargers across the country. The Inflation Reduction Act has a significant amount of money investments, anywhere from incentives⁸ for the consumer to buy electric cars to car manufacturers to invest in the U.S. launch and so forth⁹.

MARTIN: New electric cars cost a lot of money, though. Are all the people who want and need a new car going to be able to afford them in California?

OGE: You know, the average gasoline car is about $47,000, and the average electric car is $60,000. But the cost of electric vehicles has been dropped significantly - over 90%, you know, the last 10 years. So, yes, on the average, electric cars are more expensive. But you can find low-cost electric cars. You have incentives that states have in place, like California, the federal government. And the costs are coming down significantly.

MARTIN: California's plan is going to need federal approval, right?

OGE: The next step is for the state of California to send this regulatory package to the Environmental Protection Agency for what is called a waiver to implement¹⁰ their own program. And based on what I know is in this program, there is no way that EPA is not going to approve this California clean car program, and then the other states can adopt it.

MARTIN: Margo Oge was director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality under Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama.

Thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it.

OGE: Well, thank you so much for having me.

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

4 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

5 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

6 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

7 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

8 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

10 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。