The Ford motor companys abandonment of electric cars effectively signals the end of the road for the technology, analysts say.

　　Three years ago, the company introduced the Think City two-seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think neighbor. It hoped to sell 5,000 cars each year and 10,000 carts. But a lack of demand means only about 1,000 of the cars have been produced, and less than 1,700 carts have been sold so far in 2002.

　　The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to a six-hour battery recharge time General Motors EVI electric vehicle also had a limited range, of about 100 miles.

　　There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its chance. Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program, and that is what we will be judging them on, Roger Higman, a senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth, told the Environment News Service.

　　However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines will permit. In June, General Motors and Daimler Chrysler won a court injunction, delaying by two years Californian legislation requiring car-makers to offer 100,000 zero-emission and other low-emission vehicles in the state by 2003. Car manufactures hope the legislation will be rewritten to allow for more low-emission, rather than zero-emission, vehicles.

　　A. They have started to produce electric cars.

　　C. They have given up producing electric cars.

　　2.According to Tim Holmes of Ford Europe, battery-powered cars

　　B. Will not be the main transportation vehicles in the future.

　　D. Will replace petrol-powered vehicles in the future.

　　A. Toyota and Nissan.

　　C. Ford and Toyota.

　　4.According to the eighth paragraph, hybrid cars

　　B. run faster than petrol driven cars.

　　D. offer more batteries than petrol driven cars.

　　A. Low-emission cars should be banned.

　　C. The legislation will encourage car makers to produce more electric cars.

　　The Ford motor companys abandonment of electric cars effectively signals the end of the road for the technology, analysts say.

　　Three years ago, the company introduced the Think City two-seater car and a golf cart called the THINK, or Think neighbor. It hoped to sell 5,000 cars each year and 10,000 carts. But a lack of demand means only about 1,000 of the cars have been produced, and less than 1,700 carts have been sold so far in 2002.

　　The Think City has a range of only about 53 miles and up to a six-hour battery recharge time General Motors EVI electric vehicle also had a limited range, of about 100 miles.

　　There is a feeling that battery electric has been given its chance. Ford now has to move on with its hybrid program, and that is what we will be judging them on, Roger Higman, a senior transport campaigner at UK Friends of the Earth, told the Environment News Service.

　　However, it is not yet clear exactly what those guidelines will permit. In June, General Motors and Daimler Chrysler won a court injunction, delaying by two years Californian legislation requiring car-makers to offer 100,000 zero-emission and other low-emission vehicles in the state by 2003. Car manufactures hope the legislation will be rewritten to allow for more low-emission, rather than zero-emission, vehicles.

　　A. They have started to produce electric cars.

　　C. They have given up producing electric cars.

　　2.According to Tim Holmes of Ford Europe, battery-powered cars

　　B. Will not be the main transportation vehicles in the future.

　　D. Will replace petrol-powered vehicles in the future.

　　A. Toyota and Nissan.

　　C. Ford and Toyota.

　　4.According to the eighth paragraph, hybrid cars

　　B. run faster than petrol driven cars.

　　D. offer more batteries than petrol driven cars.

　　A. Low-emission cars should be banned.

　　C. The legislation will encourage car makers to produce more electric cars.