FRANK VAN MEEL

Executive vice president, strategy for E-mobility, Audi

Chosen because: Van Meel, a 45-year-old native of the Netherlands, is shepherding Audi's EV strategy. Audi launches its E-tron line with the R8-based sports car next year. This summer, Audi begins testing the A1 E-tron subcompact, a range-assisted EV, in Munich. Using smart phones, Audi will track the "typical mobility behavior" of project participants before they get the A1, then assess changes as they use the car.

Quote: "It's a question of incentives, it's a question of legislation, but it's also a question of 'Can I use car-pool lanes, bus/taxi lanes? Will there be preferred parking spaces? Will there be shopping malls with free charging?' Then, from the customer's viewpoint, it gets more interesting."