Volkswagen yesterday signed an agreement with China’s Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co to explore joint development of electric cars, in the latest sign of how the German company is accelerating work in this area after the diesel emissions scandal.

大众(Volkswagen)与中国安徽江淮汽车股份有限公司(Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co)昨日签订协议，探索联合研发电动汽车。这是在柴油车尾气造假丑闻后这家德国公司加速进军新能源领域的最新标志。

VW is seeking to consolidate its long-term position as one of the leading overseas carmakers in China by — among other things — evaluating a joint venture with state-owned JAC.

通过评估与国有的江淮汽车合资等方式，大众正寻求巩固其长期以来作为中国领先的海外汽车制造商的地位。

China is VW’s largest market, and the country is tightening regulation of cars powered by petrol and diesel engines, in moves intended to tackle widespread air pollution in towns and cities, and curb vehicles’ contribution to global warming.

中国是大众最大的市场，同时中国正在收紧对汽油和柴油动力汽车的监管规则，旨在解决城镇普遍的空气污染，并遏制汽车对全球变暖的影响。

Collaboration between VW and JAC could involve development and manufacturing of fully electric vehicles and hybrid models, where power is provided by a combination of batteries and combustion engines.

大众和江淮汽车的合作，可能包含研发和制造全电动汽车和混合动力车型（由电池和内燃机共同提供动力）。

A final agreement on the terms of the partnership is expected to be signed within five months, subject to regulatory approvals, according to a stock exchange filing by JAC.

江淮汽车提交给证交所的文件显示，有关合作条款的最终协议预计将在5个月内签订（如果监管机构批准）。

JAC is China’s ninth-largest carmaker and An Jin, chairman, said: We look forward to a full scope co-operation together with VW group, focus[ed] on new energy vehicles, to provide Chinese consumers with highly cost-effective battery electric vehicle products that promote the development of the Chinese new energy vehicle sector as well as the Chinese auto industry’s transformation and upgrading.

江淮汽车是中国第九大汽车制造商，其董事长安进称：我们期待与大众汽车立足新能源汽车领域，开展全方位的合作，为中国消费者提供高性价比的纯电动汽车产品，共同促进中国新能源汽车产业发展，推动中国汽车产业转型升级。

Beijing has identified electric vehicles as an area of strategic importance for the Chinese car industry and is offering generous subsidies to both consumers and carmakers to support the nascent market.

北京方面认为电动汽车是对中国汽车产业具有战略重要性的领域，并为支持这个新生市场向消费者和汽车制造商提供大量补贴。

Sales of electric and hybrid cars quadrupled in China last year to 330,000 vehicles, overtaking the US as the largest market in the world, according to Wind Information, a financial data provider.

金融数据提供商万得资讯(Wind Information)的数据显示，去年中国电动汽车和混合动力汽车的销量翻了两番，达33万辆，超越美国成为全球最大市场。

But analysts have warned the Chinese electric vehicle market currently offers little or no profits to carmakers, and is being held back due to inadequate battery charging infrastructure.

但分析师警告称，中国电动汽车市场目前为汽车制造商提供的利润微乎其微，并且由于充电设施不足而发展缓慢。

From January through to July this year, VW group sold 2.2m cars in China, accounting for 36 per cent of global unit sales.

今年1月至7月，大众集团在中国销售了220万辆汽车，占其全球汽车销量的36%。

Worldwide, VW group sales were up only 1.3 per cent, but in China they rose 8 per cent, making it not only VW’s biggest market but also the fastest-growing.

在全球范围来看，大众集团的销量仅增长了1.3%，但是在中国其销量增长了8%，这使得中国不仅是大众最大的市场、而且是其增长最快的市场。