Electric vehicle stocks have been on fire this past year, outperforming every other sector in the market.
The sector’s favorite benchmark–Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (DRIV)–has climbed 75.3% over the past 12 months and is already up 13.6% YTD, managing to even outperform the red-hot biotech sector as the Covid-19 vaccine rollout gets underway.
Incredibly, EV and clean energy have continued to post impressive growth numbers amid the ongoing pandemic.
Indeed, the latest report by clean energy watchdog Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) has revealed that investments in renewable energy capacity came to $303.5 billion, up 2% on the year, thanks mainly to the biggest-ever build-out of solar projects as well as a $50 billion surge for offshore wind.
The EV sector has emerged on top, with investments in the burgeoning industry including charging infrastructure buildout clocking in at $139 billion, good for a 28% Y/Y increase, while the passenger EV market reached an estimated $118 billion representing a four-fold growth compared to 2016 levels.
EV-focused ride-sharing could also be poised for stardom, with Uber (NYSE:UBER) and Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) both pledging 100% EVs by 2030, and Canadian “Silicon Valley” darling Facedrive (TSXV:FD,OTC:FDVRF), pioneering carbon-offset ride-sharing back in 2019 and moving quickly to expand its North American footprint with a stunning acquisition of Washington D.C.-based Steer, the EV subscription company that plans to change the way we view both EVs and car ownership.
Millennials, a generation that holds massive consumer power, is now beginning to dictate what happens next with the auto industry. And while the global pandemic and a major shift to remote work has brought them back into the car “ownership” market—they don’t want to own the same way their predecessors did. Numerous studies have shown they value “access” to a private car over ownership, and they want it on-demand in a process that is as easy as the click of a button. And they overwhelmingly value EVs over conventional cars.
That’s Steer: It’s the digitally seamless way to have your own virtual gallery of the best EVs on the market, with no insurance costs, no hassle, whenever you want, wherever you. It’s like one new way to “own” a car (or cars, in this case).
That could be one of the reasons why Facedrive stock is up over 110% in less than a month:
This company knows Millennials inside and out, and it’s capturing them in advance. We think demand for this innovative and transformative EV subscription service stands to increase substantially in the coming months and years as our world undergoes one of the biggest lifestyle transformations in centuries.
With president Joe Biden now in the driving seat and the Democrats in control of both branches of Congress and the White House for the first time since the first two years of Barack Obama’s first term, EV companies could be some of the biggest beneficiaries of Biden’s $2 trillion climate plan.
After all, Biden has pledged to install 500,000 charging stations, a number that analysts believe could spur sales of 25 million EVs, or 25x what Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) expects to sell in 2021.
That’s not just a huge boost for EV manufacturers … it extends to the charging innovators, and particularly to the ride-sharing platforms, not to mention EV subscriptions that fully intend to gain significant ‘conventional’ converts.
Legacy automakers understand this is an unstoppable trend and many such as General Motors (NYSE:GM), BMW (OTCPK:BMWYY), Volkswagen (OTCPK:VLKAF) and Nissan Group (OTCPK:NSANY) have launched their EV brands, while smartphone titan Apple Inc.(NASDAQ:AAPL) is seriously considering making a comeback to the EV space after shelving the Apple Car project several years ago.
They say that a rising tide lifts all boats, and buying a fund like DRIV can give you broad exposure to the EV space. Still, some EV names are likely to remain ahead of the pack.
In the meantime, amid all the traction in this section, the EV wars are intensifying exponentially, and while Tesla is the obvious front-runner, there are a number of ways to ride the tailwinds of our transportation transformation that have a lot more upside.
Of course, up until now, no electric vehicle company has captured the imagination of Wall Street and investors quite like Tesla Inc. has.
In fact, Tesla’s $870B market cap means it accounts for two-thirds of the ~$1.3 trillion valuation of the global EV industry. In contrast, traditional ICE manufacturers are currently valued at just over $1.2 trillion.
After years of doubting by naysayers and short-sellers with expectations that Tesla would go bankrupt or sell out to a company like Apple Inc.
But those speculations were short-lived: Tesla and Musk quickly proved to the world that there’s robust demand for EVs and the future truly is electric.
Tesla has been able to inject its large-scale manufacturing capabilities into Musk’s inspired improvisation, looking to deliver an astounding 500,000 vehicles in the current year and 1 million in 2021, with a number of gigafactories in the pipeline, which could significantly increase its production capacity as the quarters roll on.
But now, it’s time to look for the next Tesla–or the next Tesla-like EV tie-in.
Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ:WKHS) is taking EVs further with medium-duty trucks, HorseFly delivery drone systems, and even electric aircraft. It also develops cloud-based and real-time telematics performance monitoring systems that enable fleet operators to optimize energy and route efficiency.
Now, it’s emerged as one of the most popular EV stocks thanks to being a leader in the manufacture of electric vans. And the addressable market in the US alone is huge, with more than 350,000 last-mile delivery vans sold every year. At an average selling price of $50,000, that’s good for a market size of $18 billion.
Workhorse happens to be at the epicenter of a major disruption, which could mean huge long-term upside potential.
But keep an eye on the newcomers, too, like Xpeng Motors (NYSE:XPEV), which has been making impressive gains thanks mainly to a growing demand for its stylish vehicles and promising financials.
Xpeng has also been drawing plenty of interest from Big Money, managing to raise nearly a billion dollars from heavy hitters such as Alibaba, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Qatar Investment Authority, Hillhouse Capital, and Sequoia Capital China.
Newcomers like Xpeng provide an excellent opportunity for investors who missed out on Tesla’s meteoric rise or Chinese Tencent-backed Nio’s (NYSE:NIO) storming of the market in 2020–even if its shares did rise too far, too fast.
But if you’re looking for the top of this market, look at the tie-ins that Wall Street hasn’t fully latched onto yet–a theory proved by Blink Charging (NASDAQ:BLNK), which owns, operates, and provides EV charging equipment and networked EV charging services in the United States. Its shares have enjoyed a torrid 2,093% 52-week gain, one of the favorite momentum stocks in the EV space suggesting it could also be another bubble.
But EV related tech companies may be where the real upside is: Facedrive (TSXV:FD,OTC:FDVRF), the crown jewel of Canada’s ‘Silicon Valley’, was the first to foresee ride-hailing’s biggest mistake: Ride-sharing was a brilliant idea when it exploded across the world, but it created more pollution than it displaced, and that is off-trend when it comes to today’s investing atmosphere.
Facedrive figured this out before anyone else and launched their carbon-offset ride-hailing platform in 2019 in Canada, and is now paving the way for its debut in the U.S.. It not only offers customers a choice of EV, hybrid or conventional, but it works in cooperation with city authorities to plant trees to offset ride-hailing carbon.
Facedrive’s rapid expansion and string of acquisitions give us a clue as to where this is going. It’s targeted everything from carbon-offset ride-sharing and food delivery to pharma deliveries, COVID contact tracing tech, and even e-sports predictive technology.
More than anything, this startup from Canada’s soaring Waterloo “Tech Triangle” is the proof that technology is the backbone of our energy transition and our transportation transformation, and the next thing to come out on top in the EV sector will very likely be a totally tech-driven company, like this one.
That’s why no one should be surprised at news leaking out about Apple’s interest in jumping in on the EV game.
If you want to get to the top of the EV related bull run, look to the tech players that are right now blazing a new path.
Electra Meccanica Vehicles Corp (NASDAQ:SOLO) is another electric vehicle stock that has turned heads this year. The Canadian company’s single-seat electric car carries a lower, and more appealing price point for consumers that do not need all the bells and whistles that come with luxury brands like Tesla. It’s also on the cusp of an emerging market.
In fact, demand for single-seat electric vehicles are projected to grow significantly in the coming years, and SOLO is one of the few companies in this market, representing a great opportunity for investors looking for an easy-entry EV stock with a lot of potential upside.
Electric Meccanica isn’t only interested in the company niche, however. It’s also planning to roll out an electric sports car for two, the Tofino, and another electric two-seater boasting an old-school design that will appeal to a wide range of consumers. Given that the stock is only trading at $7.31 at the moment, there is a lot of room to grow, though not without potential risks.
Li Auto (NASDAQ:LI) was founded in 2015 by its namesake, Chairman and CEO Li Xiang. And while it may not be a veteran in the market like Tesla or even NIO, it’s quickly making waves on Wall Street.
Backed by Chinese giants Meituan and Bytedance, Li has taken a different approach to the electric vehicle market. Instead of opting for pure-electric cars, it is giving consumers a choice with its stylish crossover hybrid SUV. This popular vehicle can be powered with gasoline or electricity, taking the edge off drivers who may not have a charging station or a gas station nearby.
Though Li just hit the NASDAQ in July, the company has already seen its stock price more than double. Especially in the past month during the massive EV runup that netted investors triple digit returns.
It’s already worth more than $30 billion but it’s just getting started. And as the EV boom accelerates into high-gear, the sky is the limit for Li and its competitors.
XPeng Motors (NYSE:XPEV) is a newcomer in the Chinese electric vehicle boom. Though it only recently went public in the U.S., it’s taken the market by storm. Riding on the coattails of the success of Tesla and NIO, it has carved out its own demand, especially among the younger generation of traders looking for the next big company to blow.
Since its NYSE debut in August, the ambitious electric vehicle company has risen by more than 107% thanks to its promising financials and growing demand for its stylish vehicles.
In addition to retail interest, Xpeng has also received a ton of interest from Big Money. Earlier this year the company raised over $500 million from the likes of Aspex, Coatue, Hillhouse Capital and Sequoia Capital China, and even more recently, secured another $400 million from heavy hitters such as Alibaba, Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala.
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, newcomers like Xpeng provide an excellent opportunity for investors to jump on this undeniable trend even if the missed out on Tesla’s meteoric rise to glory.
Workhorse Group (NASDAQ:WKHS) is somewhat of an outlier in the electric vehicle explosion. Because of its delivery-vehicle focus, it’s not necessarily a consumer-focused brand, but more of a business-to-business manufacturer. And that’s not a bad thing. Especially considering the future of this budding industry.
Though one of its recent but headline-grabbing deals with the United States Postal Service has been delayed, it’s still pulling a lot of high-value retail deals. And shareholders see that value, and more importantly its potential for long-term growth. Since January of this year, Workhorse has seen its stock price skyrocket from just $3.29 to today’s price of $23, representing a near 600% increase. The USPS delay on its orders aside, that’s still a pretty hefty return and sure to keep shareholders at bay for the time being. And analysts seem to agree.
Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch notes, ““As the only US-based full EV supplier remaining in the bid, we believe the company remains well positioned to win a sizable portion of the contract. At the same time, we believe activity among buyers of last-mile delivery vehicles is accelerating and that WKHS could see additional customer wins before year-end.”
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is a leader in Big Tech’s sustainability push…but it’s more than just that. From the products themselves, to the packages they came in, and even the data centers powering them, Apple has gone above and beyond to cut the environmental impact.
But now, it’s even getting into the transportation business. “We’re focusing on autonomous systems. It’s a core technology that we view as very important. We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects. It’s probably one of the most difficult AI projects actually to work on.” Apple CEO Tim Cook on Apple’s plans in the car space. Electric vehicles aren’t likely to be left out, either…
Apple’s rumored car design means that more active material can be packed inside the battery, giving the car a potentially longer range. Apple is also examining a chemistry for the battery called LFP, or lithium iron phosphate which is inherently less likely to overheat and is thus safer than other types of lithium-ion batteries.
Canada is not likely to be left out of this boom, either. GreenPower Motor (TSX:GPV) is an exciting company that produces larger-scale electric transportation. Right now, it is primarily focused on the North American market, but the sky is the limit as the pressure to go green grows. GreenPower has been on the frontlines of the electric movement, manufacturing affordable battery-electric busses and trucks for over ten years. From school busses to long-distance public transit, GreenPower’s impact on the sector can’t be ignored.
GreenPower Motor has seen its share price soar from $2.03 to a yearly high of $28.45. That means investors have seen 1300% gains since the beginning of the year. And with this red-hot sector only gaining traction, GreenPower has a lot of room to run. .
NFI Group (TSX:NFI) is another one of Canada’s premier electric bus producers. Though it has not yet rebounded from January highs, NFI still offers investors a promising opportunity to capitalize on the electric vehicle boom at a discount. In addition to its increasingly positive financial reports, it is also one of the few in the business that actually pay dividends out to its investors. This is huge because it gives investors an opportunity to gain exposure to this booming industry while the stock is cheap and hold steady until the market finally discovers this gem.
Another way to get some indirect exposure to the booming EV industry is through AutoCanada (TSX:ACQ), a company that operates auto-dealerships through Canada. The company carries a wide variety of new and used vehicles and has all types of financial options available to fit the needs of any consumer. While sales have slumped this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AutoCanada will likely see a rebound as both buying power and the demand for electric vehicles increases. As more new exciting EVs hit the market, AutoCanada will surely be able to ride the wave.
Westport Fuel Systems (TSX:WPRT) is a unique way to get in on the boom in the EV-industry. It helps build the tools needed for carmakers to incorporate less damaging fuels like natural gas. Though natural gas doesn’t get quite the attention as electric vehicles do,, there are over 22.5 million natural gas vehicles on the road across the globe. And that market is expected to grow as the energy transition really takes off.
Magna International (TSX:MG) is a fantastic way to get in on the explosive EV market without betting big on one of the new hot stocks tearing up among the millennials right now. The 63-year-old Canadian manufacturing giant provides mobility technology for automakers of all types. From GM and Ford to luxury brands like BMW and Tesla, Magna is a master at striking deals. And it’s clear to see why. The company has the experience and reputation that automakers are looking for.
By Joshua Matthias