Developed by the Electric Vehicle Standards panel, with representatives from 80 organisations from the automotive, electrotechnical and utility industries, the document is a result of a ten-month process and is expected to evolve as the market advances.

It covers standards for both battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including safety, affordability, interoperability, performance and environmental impact, aimed at helping the market to develop.

Jim Matthews, EVSP co-chair and director of technical standards and standards policy at Corning Incorporated, explained: ‘The roadmap delivers on its promise to pave a smoother road to the large-scale rollout of electric vehicle technology. And from the economic and environmental points of view, the timing couldn't be better.

‘EVs offer the potential to significantly reduce our nation's dependence on imported oil, create well-paying jobs through the establishment of a broad, domestic EV industry, and reduce on-road vehicular emissions.’