MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - Frost & Sullivan's automotive and transportation group is scheduled to moderate a panel discussion on the electric vehicle market during Telematics Detroit 2010 on June 9. 

The panel discussion will explore the growth opportunities, trends and new application potential within the electric vehicle market. 

Frost & Sullivan is a major research and consulting firm.

By 2020, huge shifts in urbanization and society are expected, which will collectively impact personal mobility. Electric vehicles (EV) are expected to be at the forefront of these changes, the firm said. Frost & Sullivan forecasts global EV sales to hit one million units in 2015, with three out of four vehicles sold using new business models. 

In addition to the high price, the limited full-charge driving range of battery EVs (typically 100 miles), along with the lack of a public charging network, is a major impediment to the adoption of EVs. Telematics can help alleviate "range anxiety" of EV drivers by providing critical information regarding the battery's state of charge, charging point location, charger compatibility and charging price, Frost & Sullivan said. In addition, telematics can also support a range of other services to enhance the convenience and driving experience of EV owners. 

"Given the significantly higher and complex electric/electronic content of EVs and their need to communicate with a broad value chain -- charging service providers, utility companies, vehicle manufacturers and other EV service and content providers -- telematics will be critical to the success of the EV market," noted Veerender Kaul, Frost & Sullivan's automotive and transportation research director. 

The 10th annual Telematics Detroit Conference & Exhibition will be held in Novi, Mich., on June 8-9.