(Green Car Congress) - At the Clean Energy Ministerial in Washington, DC, 19-20 July, ministers reaffirmed their commitment to previously-announced targets for the deployment of electric vehicles, which the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates will create global market momentum leading to at least 20 million electric vehicles on the road worldwide by 2020.

In support of those targets, the ministers are launching the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI), which will provide a forum for global cooperation on the development and deployment of electric vehicles, and accelerating their commercial uptake. As of 20 July, participating governments include China, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Other initial partners include the International Energy Agency.

Electric vehicles have become a strategic focus of the automotive industry during recent years, but the technology is still nascent in the global marketplace.

For more on the Green Car Congress article, visit: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/07/electric-vehicle-initiative-launched-at-clean-energy-ministerial-in-washington-dc.html