OSAMU MASUKO

President, Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

Chosen because: Masuko, 62, has embraced electrification. The i electric small car (sold as the i-Miev in other markets) will debut in the United States this year. It is the first of eight EVs and plug-in hybrids Mitsubishi will launch over the next five years. He has focused Mitsubishi's r&d efforts on improving the battery; like many, Masuko has decided reducing battery costs is key to the success of electric and hybrid vehicles. He has forecast that battery costs will come down 40 percent through 2013. Mitsubishi aims to produce 80,000 electric or plug-in electric cars annually by March 2016.

Quote: "When you think about the entire industry, it's not difficult to imagine 10 to 20 percent of cars being electric."