投资顾问Jerry跟客户Frank见面,向他推销一种投资想法。

Jerry: I believe the iron is hot right now in the field of energy and transportation. Everyone is looking for new ways to reduce energy consumption.

F: Yeah, you’re right. I bought a hybrid car last month…saves me as much as 50% in gasoline use!

J: Hybrids are the hottest thing on the market these days, and I think they fill a niche right now, but I’m betting that the future belongs to fully electric-powered vehicles.

Jerry 觉得,能源和交通是投资的正确方向,一定要趁热打铁。Frank表示赞成,说自己上个月刚买了一辆汽电混合动力车hybrid,耗油量少了一半。 Jerry承认,汽电混合动力车现在很流行,有自己的市场定位niche, niche is spelled n-i-c-h-e,但他觉得,汽车今后还是要向纯电动的方向发展。

F: That might be true. But I manufacture in China. Millions of people there don’t even have a gas-powered car yet.

J: Yes…but don’t you see? This is a golden opportunity! Millions of middle class Chinese could potentially leapfrog over the old technologies and embrace electric vehicles.

F: It’s an interesting idea. I know the government is supporting electric vehicles since many cities have serious air pollution.

Frank的工厂在中国,而中国很多人连汽油动力车都没有,哪谈得上什么纯电力车呢?Jerry却觉得,这是绝好的机会。This is a golden opportunity. 因为中国数以百万计的中产阶级都可以跨越陈旧的技术,直接利用新技术,这里所说的leapfrog蛙跳,是跃过,跨过的意思。Frank觉得,这种想法有 道理,因为中国政府为了治理空气污染,非常支持电动汽车的发展。

J: Just imagine! You could make a lot of money AND help make China a better place for people to live.

F: So you want me to invest in producing electric cars?

J: I think the real area of interest here is batteries. Battery technology needs to catch up. We already have a lot of companies that can make the cars, but batteries are far too expensive.

开发电力汽车,这种既能赚钱,又能改善中国生活环境的事何乐而不为呢?Jerry补充说,他其实不是建议 Frank投资电力汽车,The real area of interest is batteries,真有干头的是电池这一块,因为battery technology needs to catch up,电池技术还需要改进。Frank会被Jerry说服,投资电力汽车电池技术的开发吗?我们下次继续听。