摘要:Major manufacturers, fearful they will have to shut down assembly lines, consider moving some parts production to China
1.原文
汽车制造商竞相寻找应对中国对稀土磁体垄断的变通方法
主要制造商担心不得不关闭装配线,正考虑将部分零部件生产转移到中国
Automakers Race to Find Workaround to China’s Stranglehold on Rare-Earth Magnets
Major manufacturers, fearful they will have to shut down assembly lines, consider moving some parts production to China
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Four major automakers are racing to find workarounds to China’s stranglehold on rare-earth magnets, which they fear could force them to shut down some car production within weeks.
Several traditional and electric-vehicle makers—and their suppliers—are considering shifting some auto-parts manufacturing to China to avoid looming factory shutdowns, people familiar with the situation said.
Ideas under review include producing electric motors in Chinese factories or shipping made-in-America motors to China to have magnets installed. Moving production to China as a way to get around the export controls on rare-earth magnets could work because the restrictions only cover magnets, not finished parts, the people said.
If automakers end up shifting some production to China, it would amount to a remarkable outcome from a trade war initiated by President Trump with the intention of bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.
1.1 翻译
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四家主要汽车制造商正竞相寻找变通方法,以应对中国对稀土磁体的垄断控制。他们担心,这可能迫使他们在几周内关闭部分汽车生产。
知情人士称,几家传统汽车和电动汽车制造商及其供应商正考虑将部分汽车零部件生产转移到中国,以避免迫在眉睫的工厂停产。
正在讨论的方案包括在中国工厂生产电动机,或将美国制造的电动机运往中国安装磁体。这些人士表示,将生产转移到中国以规避稀土磁体出口管制可能可行,因为相关限制仅针对磁体,而非成品零件。
如果汽车制造商最终将部分生产转移到中国,这将相当于特朗普总统发起的、旨在将制造业带回美国的贸易战产生了一个出人意料的结果。
1.2 重点详解
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1. workarounds /ˈwɜːrkəraʊndz/
词性:名词含义:指绕过困难或限制的变通方法、替代方案,常用于解决技术问题或应对政策限制。用法:常与动词 “find”“use” 搭配,如 “find workarounds to regulations”(寻找规避法规的方法)。2. stranglehold /ˈstræŋɡlhoʊld/
词性:名词含义:原指 “勒颈” 的动作,比喻 “垄断控制” 或 “压制性影响”,强调对某一领域的绝对支配力。用法:常见搭配为 “have a stranglehold on sth.”(对某物有垄断控制),如 “a stranglehold on the market”(对市场的垄断)。3. looming /ˈluːmɪŋ/
词性:形容词含义:表示 “逼近的、即将发生的”,通常用于描述负面事件(如危机、问题)的临近。用法:作定语或表语,如 “looming deadlines”(迫近的截止日期)、“a looming recession”(即将到来的经济衰退)。4. under review
词性:短语(介词短语)含义:意为 “在审查中、在讨论中”,指某事正被系统评估或研究。用法:作表语或后置定语,如 “plans under review”(正在审议的计划)、“the policy is under review”(政策正在审查中)。5. get around
词性:短语动词含义:表示 “规避、绕过”(规则、限制等),或 “解决(问题)”。用法:后接名词,如 “get around tax laws”(规避税法)、“get around a problem”(解决问题)。6. export controls
词性:名词短语含义:指政府对本国出口商品(尤其是敏感技术或资源)实施的限制措施,以维护国家安全或经济利益。用法:常与 “impose”“relax” 搭配,如 “impose export controls on rare materials”(对稀有材料实施出口管制)。7. finished parts
词性:名词短语含义:指已完成全部制造流程、可直接用于组装的成品零件。用法:与 “raw materials”(原材料)相对,如 “supply finished parts for assembly”(提供用于组装的成品零件)。8. amount to
词性:短语动词含义:意为 “相当于、意味着”,表示某种行为或结果实质上等同于另一事物。用法:后接名词或动名词,如 “his words amount to a threat”(他的话相当于威胁)。9. initiated /ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd/
词性:动词(过去分词作定语)含义:意为 “发起、启动”,指开始某一项目、行动或计划。用法:常用于被动语态或作定语,如 “a project initiated by the government”(政府发起的项目)。10. with the intention of
词性:短语(介词短语)含义:表示 “旨在、目的是”,说明做某事的动机或目标。用法:后接动名词,如 “travel abroad with the intention of learning a language”(为学习语言而出国旅行)。2.原文
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“If you want to export a magnet [from China] they won’t let you do that. If you can demonstrate that the magnet is in a motor in China, you can do that,” said a supply-chain manager at one of the carmakers.
China in April began requiring companies to apply for permission to export magnets made with rare-earth metals, including dysprosium and terbium. The country controls roughly 90% of the world’s supply of these elements, which help magnets to operate at high temperatures. Much of the world’s modern technology, from smartphones to F-35 jet fighters, rely on these magnets.
In the auto industry, rare-earths are what allow electric-vehicle motors to function at high speed. They are also used in less exotic, though no less critical, functions from windshield wipers and headlights.
2.1 翻译
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“如果你想 [从中国] 出口磁体,他们不会允许。但如果你能证明磁体已安装在中国境内的电动机中,就可以出口。” 某汽车制造商的供应链经理表示。
中国于 4 月起要求企业出口含镝、铽等稀土金属的磁体时需申请许可。中国控制着全球约 90% 的这些元素供应,它们使磁体能够在高温下工作。从智能手机到 F-35 战斗机,全球许多现代科技都依赖这些磁体。
在汽车行业,稀土是使电动汽车电机能够高速运转的关键。它们也用于不那么高端但同样重要的功能,如雨刷器和 headlights(车灯)。
2.2 重点详解
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1. magnet /ˈmæɡnɪt/
词性:名词含义:磁体,指具有磁性、能吸引铁类物质的物体,文中特指由稀土金属制成的高性能磁体。用法:可与 “rare-earth”“permanent” 等词搭配,如 “rare-earth magnet”(稀土磁体)、“permanent magnet”(永磁体)。2. motor /ˈmoʊtər/
词性:名词含义:电动机,指将电能转化为机械能的装置,文中用于汽车驱动系统或零部件。用法:常见搭配 “electric motor”(电动机)、“motor vehicle”(机动车辆),如 “an electric motor in an EV”(电动汽车的电动机)。3. dysprosium /dɪsˈproʊsiəm/
词性:名词含义:镝,化学元素符号 Dy,属于重稀土元素,具有高磁导率和耐高温特性,常用于制造高性能磁体。用法:专业术语,用于化学、材料科学领域,如 “dysprosium-based alloys”(镝基合金)。4. terbium /ˈtɜːrbiəm/
词性:名词含义:铽,化学元素符号 Tb,稀土元素之一,用于磁光存储材料、磁致伸缩材料等,是稀土磁体的关键成分。用法:专业术语,如 “terbium-doped magnets”(掺铽磁体)。5. elements /ˈelɪmənts/
词性:名词(复数)含义:元素,指化学元素周期表中的基本物质,文中特指稀土元素(如镝、铽)。用法:泛指化学元素时用复数形式,如 “rare-earth elements”(稀土元素)、“heavy metal elements”(重金属元素)。3.原文
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As exports of rare-earth magnets have virtually ground to a halt, carmakers face hard decisions about whether they can continue to keep some plants operating, according to people familiar with the planning.
In May, industry groups representing most major automakers and parts suppliers told the Trump administration that vehicle production could be reduced or shut down imminently without more rare-earth components from China.
“While efforts are underway to bolster supply chains and suppliers of these elements outside of China, this will take additional time and will not alleviate the immediate shortage of elements vital for automotive components used to produce vehicles here at home,” said the letter, which was signed by the heads of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association.
Shipping an unfinished part halfway across the world to have a chiclet-sized magnet installed adds to the cost and time it takes to manufacture, but the companies see it as perhaps the only alternative to shutting down some production lines altogether. The move could expose carmakers to additional tariffs, but auto executives believe the alternative would be even worse.
Car companies are also looking at alternative sources for magnets in Europe and Asia, instead of purchasing them directly from Chinese factories as they do currently. None of these sources would provide enough magnets to support the demand from the automotive industry, said one company official.
The people familiar with the planning say many ideas are under consideration that might not come to pass.
3.1 翻译
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据知情人士透露,由于稀土磁体出口几乎完全停止,汽车制造商正面临艰难抉择:是否能继续维持部分工厂运转。
今年 5 月,代表大多数主要汽车制造商和零部件供应商的行业组织向特朗普政府表示,若无法从中国获得更多稀土零部件,汽车生产可能很快减产或停产。
这封由汽车创新联盟和汽车供应商协会(MEMA)负责人签署的信中称:“尽管正在努力加强中国以外地区的稀土元素供应链和供应商,但这需要时间,无法缓解国内生产汽车所需的关键零部件中稀土元素的迫在眉睫的短缺。”
将未完成的零部件运往半个地球外的中国安装一块口香糖大小的磁体,会增加制造的成本和时间,但企业认为这可能是避免完全关闭某些生产线的唯一选择。此举可能使汽车制造商面临额外关税,但高管们认为,其他选择只会更糟。
汽车公司也在寻找欧洲和亚洲的磁体替代来源,而非像现在这样直接从中国工厂采购。一名公司官员表示,这些来源都无法满足汽车行业的需求。
知情人士称,目前有许多方案正在考虑中,但可能未必能实现。
3.2 重点详解
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1. ground to a halt
词性:短语动词含义:完全停止,彻底停顿(通常指活动、进程因外界因素突然中止)。用法:不及物,直接作谓语,如 “Traffic ground to a halt due to the accident.”(事故导致交通完全瘫痪。)2. imminently /ˈɪmɪnəntli/
词性:副词含义:即将发生地,紧迫地(强调时间上的临近,常用于负面事件)。用法:修饰动词或形容词,如 “a crisis that could imminently affect the economy”(可能很快影响经济的危机)。3. components /kəmˈpoʊnənts/
词性:名词(复数)含义:零部件,组件(构成整体的部分,文中指含稀土的汽车零件)。用法:常与 “automotive”“electronic” 搭配,如 “auto components”(汽车零部件)、“component parts”(组成部件)。4. bolster /ˈboʊlstər/
词性:动词含义:加强,巩固(通过增加支持或资源使某物更强大)。用法:~ sth.(如 bolster supply chains 加强供应链),可接 “confidence”“security” 等抽象名词,如 “bolster national security”(巩固国家安全)。词性:名词(复数)含义:元素(此处特指稀土元素,如镝、铽)。用法:同前文中的 “elements”,指化学元素,如 “rare-earth elements”(稀土元素)。6. alleviate /əˈliːvieɪt/
词性:动词含义:减轻,缓解(使问题、痛苦等程度降低,但不彻底解决)。用法:~ sth.(如 alleviate poverty 缓解贫困),常接 “pressure”“shortage” 等词,如 “alleviate traffic congestion”(缓解交通拥堵)。7. altogether /ˌɔːltəˈɡeðər/
词性:副词含义:完全地,彻底地(强调程度上的全部或整体)。用法:修饰动词或形容词,如 “abandon a project altogether”(彻底放弃项目)、“altogether unnecessary”(完全没必要)。8. tariffs /ˈtærɪfs/
词性:名词(复数)含义:关税(政府对进出口商品征收的税款)。用法:常与 “impose”“reduce” 搭配,如 “impose high tariffs on imports”(对进口商品征收高关税)、“tariff barriers”(关税壁垒)。9. come to pass
词性:短语动词含义:发生,实现(尤指经过计划或预期的事情)。用法:不及物,无被动语态,如 “His prediction finally came to pass.”(他的预言最终成真了。)4.原文
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The elaborate workarounds being considered underline how reliant the U.S. has become on China for these magnets. The country controls almost all of the refining capability that transforms raw minerals into usable forms. Analysts say China has superior technical know-how for separating rare earth from surrounding rocks.
American carmakers aren’t the only ones struggling to source magnets from China.
Car companies in Japan and India have also warned of looming manufacturing disruptions. In Europe, automakers say that the pace of export license approvals hasn’t kept up with their demand.
“Although some licenses have now been granted, this is currently not enough to ensure smooth production,” said Hildegard Müller, president of the German auto industry’s lobbying group. “If the situation does not change quickly, production delays and even production stoppages can no longer be ruled out.”
In the U.S., Ford Motor shut down production of the Ford Explorer at its Chicago plant for a week in May because of a rare-earth shortage, a spokesman said.
4.1 翻译
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这些正在考虑中的复杂变通方案凸显了美国对中国稀土磁体的依赖程度。中国控制着几乎所有将原始矿物加工成可用形式的精炼能力。分析人士称,中国在从围岩中分离稀土方面拥有更先进的技术诀窍。
并非只有美国汽车制造商在努力从中国采购磁体。
日本和印度的汽车公司也已警告称,制造业中断的风险正在逼近。在欧洲,汽车制造商表示,出口许可证的审批速度跟不上他们的需求。
德国汽车行业游说团体负责人希尔黛加德・米勒(Hildegard Müller)表示:“尽管现在已发放了一些许可证,但目前仍不足以确保生产顺利进行。如果情况不迅速改变,生产延误甚至停产将不可避免。”
美国福特汽车公司(Ford Motor)的一位发言人表示,由于稀土短缺,该公司 5 月在芝加哥工厂将福特探险者(Ford Explorer)的生产暂停了一周。
4.2 重点详解
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词性:名词含义:变通方法,替代方案(指绕过限制或问题的解决方式)。用法:常与 “find”“develop” 搭配,如 “develop workarounds for supply chain issues”(为供应链问题制定替代方案)。2. refining capability
词性:名词短语含义:精炼能力(将原材料加工成可用形式的技术能力,文中指稀土矿物的提纯能力)。用法:“refining” 指提炼、提纯,“capability” 指能力,如 “oil refining capability”(石油精炼能力)。3. know-how /ˈnoʊ haʊ/
词性:名词含义:专门技术,实践知识(强调实际操作中的技能和经验)。用法:不可数,常与 “technical”“specialized” 搭配,如 “gain technical know-how”(获得专业技术)。4. source /sɔːrs/
词性:动词含义:采购,获取(从特定来源获得所需物资)。用法:~ sth. (from sb./sth.),如 “source materials from overseas”(从海外采购原材料)。5. looming /ˈluːmɪŋ/
词性:形容词含义:逼近的,即将发生的(通常指负面事件临近)。用法:作定语或表语,如 “looming deadlines”(迫近的截止日期)、“a looming crisis”(即将来临的危机)。6. stoppages /ˈstɑːpɪdʒɪz/
词性:名词(复数)含义:停止,停工(尤指生产或活动的中断)。用法:常与 “production”“work” 搭配,如 “production stoppages due to strikes”(因罢工导致的生产停工)。5.原文
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The lack of magnets hits EVs and hybrid vehicles harder than conventional cars and trucks. A typical EV contains far more rare-earths than a gasoline-powered model, but rare-earth magnets are found throughout any modern vehicle.
Producing more gas-powered cars instead of EVs isn’t a solution, because companies would risk falling short of federal fuel-economy standards, which could result in fines. Regulatory credits that automakers can purchase from EV-makers, such as Tesla and Rivian, to offset their emissions are sold out through the year 2027.
Another option to conserve dwindling magnet supplies is reverting to older electric-motor technology that doesn’t make use of rare-earth magnets. Carmakers stopped using those motors because the current versions are cheaper and more efficient.
Carmakers are also considering stripping out some premium features, such as adjustable seats, that make use of several tiny electric motors. High-end speaker systems that use rare-earth magnets could also be replaced with downgraded versions.
5.1 翻译
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磁体短缺对电动汽车(EV)和混合动力汽车的影响比对传统汽车和卡车更严重。一辆典型的电动汽车所含的稀土远多于汽油动力车型,而稀土磁体在任何现代车辆中都随处可见。
生产更多汽油车而非电动汽车并非解决之道,因为企业可能会面临达不到联邦燃油经济性标准的风险,进而招致罚款。汽车制造商可从特斯拉(Tesla)和 Rivian 等电动汽车制造商处购买以抵消排放的监管积分,已售罄至 2027 年。
另一个节约日益减少的磁体供应的方案是恢复使用不依赖稀土磁体的旧款电动机技术。汽车制造商此前停止使用这些电机,是因为现有版本更便宜、更高效。
汽车制造商还在考虑去除一些高端配置,如使用多个微型电动机的可调座椅。使用稀土磁体的高端音响系统也可能被降级版本取代。
5.2 重点详解
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1. fines /faɪns/
词性:名词(复数)含义:罚款,指因违反法规或标准而被征收的金钱处罚。用法:常与 “impose”“pay” 搭配,如 “impose heavy fines”(处以高额罚款)、“avoid fines”(避免罚款)。2. credits /ˈkredɪts/
词性:名词(复数)含义:(环保)积分,指汽车制造商可通过购买或达成减排目标获得的合规积分,用于抵消排放超标。用法:常与 “regulatory”“emission” 搭配,如 “emission credits”(排放积分)、“trade carbon credits”(交易碳积分)。3. dwindling /ˈdwɪndlɪŋ/
词性:形容词含义:减少的,日益萎缩的(强调数量或规模逐渐变小)。用法:作定语或表语,如 “dwindling resources”(日益减少的资源)、“a dwindling population”(不断减少的人口)。4. reverting to
词性:短语动词(现在分词形式)含义:恢复使用,回到(原有的技术、方法或状态,通常因当前方案不可行)。用法:后接名词或动名词,如 “revert to traditional methods”(恢复传统方法)、“reverting to fossil fuels”(重新使用化石燃料)。5. efficient /ɪˈfɪʃnt/
词性:形容词含义:高效的,效率高的(指单位投入能产出更多成果)。用法:可修饰 “system”“machine”“process” 等,如 “an efficient engine”(高效发动机)、“energy-efficient”(节能的)。6. stripping out
词性:短语动词(现在分词形式)含义:去除,剥离(指移除某事物的部分结构或功能,尤指为节省成本)。用法:后接名词,如 “strip out unnecessary features”(去除不必要的功能)、“stripping out old equipment”(拆除旧设备)。7. downgraded /ˌdaʊnˈɡreɪdɪd/
来源:英语杂货铺