More than 1,000 electric vehicle experts from 45 countries will gather in Korea next month to discuss the future of the latest EV trend and technology.

Under the theme “e-Motional Technology for Humans,” 150 global EV-related companies will showcase their products, ranging from EVs to electric bikes and auto parts at 405 pavilions.

A total of 10,000 businesspeople and experts will attend the 28th International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition, the organizing committee said Wednesday. The event will be held May 3-6 at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province.

“The EV28 is the largest electric vehicle-related event in the world. About 60 percent of participants will be visiting from overseas, bringing information that has not been introduced to Korea yet,” said Sunwoo Myoung-ho, the director of the organizing committee.

Nine keynote speakers, including representatives of Hyundai Motor Group, LG Electronics, Qualcomm, General Motors, Renault, Mercedes-Benz and the U.S. Department of Energy will share their knowledge and experience in the industry at plenary sessions. A total of 350 academic papers are expected to be released during the event.

Visitors will be able to take test drives of EVs along a mini-circuit around the KINTEX.

“We are faced with various problems such as climate change, fuel depletion and others that cause governments to regulate on various carbon emissions and encourage green cars,” said Kim Eun-tae, general secretary at the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers, explaining the necessity of electric cars.

“At the same time, electric vehicles have created a new industry where existing automobile companies meet with electronic, electric, energy and other sectors. It creates new jobs and opens a new era. At the EV28 people will be able to see why we need to nurture the EV industry,” he said.

According to Frost & Sullivan, annual electric vehicle production will reach 28 million by 2020. About 28 percent ― 100 million cars ― are expected to be manufactured globally. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has previously forecast EVs to make up 3 percent of all automobiles in the world by then.

(baejisook@heraldcorp.com)