The International Energy Agency (IEA) joined China, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United States in launching the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) on October 1 at the Paris Motor Show in France. The new initiative will provide a platform for global cooperation on the development and deployment of electric vehicles.

The EVI began at the Clean Energy Ministerial that was held in Washington, D.C., in July 2010; it was cemented during IEA's Advanced Vehicle Leadership Forum, a two-day roundtable on electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids that was held at the Paris Motor Show. Countries participating in the EVI have agreed to promote EV demonstrations in urban area and share the results; to share information on EV research and development programs; and to collect and share information on EV deployment targets, best practices, and policies. The participating countries will present more detailed plans at Electric Vehicle Symposium-25 in Shenzhen, China, in November, and initial EVI results are planned for presentations at the Shanghai Motor Show in April 2011.

The venue for launching the EVI was appropriate, as the Paris Motor Show featured a wide variety of electrified vehicles. Jaguar wowed crowds with the C-X75 concept vehicle, an electric supercar that extends its range to 560 miles using two natural gas-fueled microturbines. The supercar draws on a lithium-ion battery pack to power 145-kilowatt (kW) motors mounted in all four wheels, achieving 780 horsepower and 1,180 foot-pounds of torque.

And while the C-X75 is just a concept vehicle, Fisker Automotive unveiled the production version of its Karma, a premium plug-in hybrid that generates 300 kW of power and more than 981 foot-pounds of torque. The Karma has a 50-mile electric-only range that is extended to 300 miles with a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. The engine drives a generator to power two 175-kW motors that are mounted to the rear differential. Other electrified vehicles of interest include Hyundai's ix35 diesel-electric hybrid concept vehicle; Saab's first EV, the 9-3 ePower, which will undergo field trials next year; and a tiny three-seat EV concept vehicle from Kia Motors, called the POP. The Paris Motor Show is open to the public through October 17.

apps1.eere.energy.gov