日本推出世界首辆'双模车'

Japan recently unveiled the world’s first Dual-Mode Vehicle (DMV), a contraption that runs both on roads, like a bus, and on rails, like a train.

日本近日推出了世界第一辆"双模车"，这种车既可以像公共汽车一样在马路上行驶，也可以像火车一样在铁轨上行驶。

The unique bus-train hybrid was unveiled last month, in the town of Kaiyo, in Japan’s Tokushima Prefecture.
这种巴士火车"二合一"的独特交通工具上个月在日本德岛县海阳镇亮相。

The mini-bus-like contraption didn’t win anyone over with its looks, but it definitely made an impression in terms of practicality.
它的外观不太讨人喜欢，类似于小巴车，但是在实用性方面绝对让人印象深刻。

It runs with normal rubber tires on the road, but when it needs to switch to train mode, a pair of metal wheels drop down from the vehicle’s underbelly. The front tires are lifted off of the track, while the rear wheels stay down to propel the vehicle.
在马路上行驶时，它使用正常的轮胎，但是如果需要切换成火车模式，底盘上就会降下一对金属轮，并收起前轮胎，使其离开轨道，后轮胎则会保持在原来的位置来驱动车辆前进。

Switching between road and train modes takes only about 15 seconds.
在马路和铁轨两种模式之间切换仅需要15秒。

The vehicle has been in the works for over a decade, and authorities in Tokushima hope that it will not only improve the lives of locals but also attract tourists curious to see the dual-mode vehicles in person.
双模车的研制过程长达十余年，德岛县政府希望它不但能改善当地人的生活，还能吸引好奇的游客亲自来看看这辆双模车。

The dual-mode vehicles, which come in a variety of colors, are diesel-powered, can carry up to 21 passengers and run at a speed of 60 km/h in train mode, and up to 100 km/h as a bus.
这种双模车是由柴油驱动的，最多能搭载21名乘客，有多种颜色。开启火车模式后时速为60千米，开启巴士模式后时速为100千米。