VOA慢速英语--通用汽车研发新电池大幅降低电动车成本并提升续航里程数

American car maker¹ General Motors says it is close to creating a battery that could lower the cost of its electric vehicles to the same price as gas-powered ones within five years.

The technology also will increase the distance an electric vehicle (EV) can travel to as much as 450 miles when it is fully² charged.

Doug Parks is the GM head of product development. He said, "We think the industry is transforming, and so we want to be at the leading edge of this."

The company promised its small electric sports utility³ vehicle, or SUV, will cost less than $30,000 and said it would make 30 battery-powered models by 2025. Now, nearly all electric vehicles cost more than $30,000.

Sam Abuelsamid, a transportation expert with Guidehouse, noted⁴ the GM announcement is one of several changes that will allow the move to all electric cars. Ford⁵, Fiat⁶ Chrysler, and Volkswagen are also increasing their research and spending on electric vehicles.

"There's going to be a lot more EVs coming," he said.

The problem for automakers has always been the balance between the size of the battery and the distance a car can drive without needing a new charge.

"What we're seeing now is that they're confident enough on their costs that they think they can offer those 300-to-400 mile range vehicles," Abuelsamid said.

Changes are coming

The recent announcement shows how quickly electric vehicle technology is growing and changing.

Government pollution rules are also tightening⁷ around the world. Both Britain and the American state of California recently said they will ban gas-powered cars in 10 to 15 years.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden is likely to restore⁸ government fuel economy rules that have been lifted by President Donald Trump⁹. Biden has promised to spend billions of dollars on EVs and build charging stations around the U.S.

On Monday, GM chief executive¹⁰ Marry Barra announced that the company agrees with Biden's plan to expand electric vehicle use. And GM will not support Trump's effort to remove California's pollution rule.

GM also wants to replace Tesla as the company leading the way to the EV future. To back up its claims, GM said it will raise spending on electric vehicles from a promised $20 billion, to more than $27 billion through 2025.

The new battery

The new battery, being tested at a GM lab outside Detroit, uses lithium metal anodes. An anode is an electrode that permits the electrical current to become polarized, or separated.

Parks said the new battery can hold 100 percent more power than GM's current battery. It will cost 60 percent less than those being used in the Chevrolet Bolt¹¹ electric car. It will help GM put together different sizes of batteries for different prices and models.

GM is working with LG Chem of South Korea and the new battery will also be used by Japanese car maker Honda.

Words in This Story

battery - n. a device¹² that is placed inside a machine (such as a clock, toy, or car) to supply it with electricity

transform - v. to change something completely usually in a good way

leading edge - n. being in the lead, out front

confident - adj. having a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something

range - n. a specified¹³ distance

lithium - n. a soft silver-white element that is the lightest metal known used in batteries for electronics

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 utility   

n.公共设施，效用，公用程序，实用品，实用；adj.多效用的，多功能的

参考例句：

• A fur coat has more utility in winter than in autumn.毛皮外衣在冬天比在秋天更有用。
• Utility bills didn't amount to much.公用事业的费用有限。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 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。

6 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。

7 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

8 restore   

vt.把…恢复原状；归还，交还

参考例句：

• A good rest will restore you to health.好好休息一下可使你恢复健康。
• His recent success has helped to restore his faith in his own ability.他最近取得的成功使他恢复了对自己能力的信任。

9 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

10 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

11 bolt   

n.螺栓；插销；vt.闩，栓住；vi.冲出去，逃跑

参考例句：

• It is a bad habit to bolt your food.狼吞虎咽地吃东西是个不良习惯。
• That door refuses to bolt.那扇门关不牢。

12 device   

n.器械，装置；计划，策略，诡计

参考例句：

• The device will be in production by the end of the year.该装置将于年底投入生产。
• The device will save much time and effort for us.这种装置会使我们节省大量时间和气力。

13 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。