Microsoft, Ford team up on electric car software 微軟、福特合作開發電動車軟體

 ◎陳成良
Microsoft will expand its Hohm consumer energy management software to work with Ford Motor Company electric cars, the two companies announced Wednesday.
微軟將把其「Hohm」消 費者能源管理軟體擴大應用在福特汽車公司的電動車上，這兩家公司週三宣布。
With Hohm, future owners of Ford’s electric vehicles will be able to determine when the best times will be to recharge their vehicles at home, executives from the two companies said at a press conference in New York.
透過「Hohm」，未來福特電動車 的車主將可判定在家為車子充電的最佳時間，兩家公司主管在紐約記者會上說。
As consumers start using electric and hybrid electric vehicles en masse, electric companies will experience surges of power demand in the evenings when people come home from work and plug in their automobiles for recharging, explained Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
隨著消費者普遍開始使用電動及油電混合車，當民眾下班回家，將插頭插上為車子 充電時，電力公司晚間將感受到電力需求劇增，微軟執行長鮑默解釋說。
The two companies pledged to work with utilities and municipal power companies so the software can determine when the most affordable times will be for consumers to recharge their vehicles.
這兩家公司矢言與公用事業及市立電力公司合作，以便讓該軟體能夠判定何時才是消費者為 他們車子再充電的最划算時間。
Hohm is a Microsoft service that analyzes home electricity usage, suggesting changes for power savings.
「Hohm」是微 軟的一項服務，負責分析家庭用電情況，並提出節能的調整建議。
新聞辭典
team up ：片語，（使）結成一隊；合作；協作。例句：The two companies have teamed up to develop a new racing car.（那兩家公司已合作研製新型賽車。）
hybrid：名詞，混合體、（動植物的）雜種。 hybrid car則指使用一種以上動力的車輛，如氣電混合車或油電混合車。
en masse：（法文）片語，全體地；一齊地。例句：Small factories are closing en masse. （小工廠正集體倒閉。）