At the first Clean Energy Ministerial in Washington, D.C. on July 19. and 20., ministers reaffirmed their commitment to previously-announced targets for the deployment of electric vehicles including fuel cell 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. Participating countries, including China, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United States. Other initial partners include the International Energy Agency pledged to continue discussions through high-level roundtables organized by the IEA during the Paris Motor Show in Fall 2010 and the Shanghai Motor Show in Spring 2011. Participating countries agree to:

2. Share information, as appropriate, on funding levels and other features of research and development programs on electric vehicle technologies to ensure their collective investments are strategically addressing the most crucial global gaps in vehicle technology development; and,

3. Share information, as appropriate, on electric vehicle deployment targets, as well as best practices and policies, to enable progress toward those targets.