It is expected that the global EV (Electric Vehicles) demand will hit about 1.34 million vehicles this year and rapidly increase by 3 times up to 4 million vehicles by 2015.  

SNE Research, a specialized energy research institute, provided a mid- and long-term forecast for EV demand based on policies to introduce EVs and restrictions on fuel efficiency of each country, fluctuations in oil prices, and the pace of technological advance and price drops in the field of lithium secondary battery, which is a key component of EVs.  
 

(SOURCE: SNE Research, Global EV market: analysis of market drivers and demand forecasting)
 

According to Solar&Energy, it is expected that hybrid EVs will account for a majority of the EV demand, and the demand for pure EVs will be only 0.2 million vehicles in 2015.
As for the EV demand by country, it is expected that Japan will take the lead in terms of demand, followed by the United State, and Europe by 2015, but Europe will rank highest, followed by the United States, China, and Japan in 2020. 

(SOURCE: SNE Research, Global EV market: analysis of market drivers and demand forecasting)

Meanwhile, with the rapid increase in the EV demand, manufacturers of lithium secondary batteries, which are one of key components of EVs, such as Samsung SDI, LG Chem, and Japanese and Chinese secondary cell manufacturers will competitively increase their production capacity.  In addition, a lot of companies are entering the markets of 4 key components of secondary batteries, ㅡ cathodes, anodes, separators, and electrolytes.  
Yoo-sik Hong Managing Director, Solar&Energy is making a presentation focused on the above in 2012 KEBC Seminar scheduled on April 24 to 26 in Ritz-Carlton.

In this event, Yoo-mi Kim Executive Director & Director for Research of Samsung SDI, which is the number 1 battery manufacturer, will deliver the keynote speech.  Gwang-cheel Gwak Team manager, who is in charge of the taskforce for EV dissemination of Ministry of Environment will announce government policies to support EVs and secondary batteries in Korea.  Gi-gwang Lee Managing Director of Hyundai Motors, who is in charge of R&D of EVs, will announce the company’s strategies and roadmap for EVs. 

In addition, Deputy Secretary General of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers will give a presentation about government policies and programs for the development of EVs in China.  Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan will give a presentation about the supply chain in the field of secondary battery and IT in Taiwan.  Dr. John Wozniak of HP will deliver his view on battery performance required for laptops.