【专家解说】：In 2008, U.S. consumers experienced historically high and (relatively) low gasoline prices which, for a period, rose in real terms to levels not seen since the early 1980s1.
2008年，美国消费者经历了创历史新高和新低（相对而言）的汽油价格。在相当一段时间中，这个实际价格是自80年代初以来未曾有过的。
Partially as a result of the high gasoline prices (approaching $4/gallon for part of the year), sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) remained strong in 20082 – roughly at the same level as in 2007, and several automakers announced plans to introduce plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)3 as well as full electric vehicles (EVs).
部分归咎于高汽油价格（08年中有时高达4美元/加仑），混合动力电动车（HEVs）在08年销售量依然势头不减，保持和07年相当的水平。有些汽车制造商计划引进插电型油电混合车和全电动车。
The total HEV sales remained about 2-3 percent of all vehicle sales. An important step for the further market penetration of HEVs, as well as the electrification of the nation’s personal transportation, is the development of cost-effective, long lasting, and abuse-tolerant Li-ion batteries.
混合动力电动车在总汽车销售量中保持2%~3%的份额。对于混合动力电动车未来市场渗透，重要的一步是开发低本高效，持续性长的锂电池，这也是国家个人传输电气化重要的一个步骤。
