These Are the Top 4 Global EV Players for Investors to Keep an Eye on

As the focus shifts from fossil fuels to renewable energy, aspirations of a better, more cheerful future emerge.

Electric vehicles (EVs) have already garnered attention and are taking the world by storm. The expanding universe of EV companies does not stop with carmakers. There are other major areas where EV companies are trying to make a mark by building a reliable ecosystem.

Some are developing EV charging infrastructure while others are involved in making lithium batteries.

According to a report, by 2030 electric vehicles will outsell the conventional ones. In the near future, buying and operating EVs, compared to internal combustion engine vehicles, may become less expensive or even equivalent.

The EV space is exploding at a faster pace than you think and many global automobile players are joining the race.

In this post, we will look at the world's greatest EV producers.

#1 Tesla

Tesla is the most well-known electric car manufacturer in the world. The company is headquartered in the United States and is led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

The company was formed in July 2003 to demonstrate that EVs are more enjoyable, faster, and convenient to drive than gasoline vehicles.

The firm dominates the EV market with the Model 3 being the best-selling electric car in the world and the Model S as the longest-range electric car.

As per a report, Tesla was ranked as the best-selling electric vehicle manufacturer worldwide after selling close to 421,000 units in the first half of 2021. Tesla's sales volume translates into a market share of about 15%.

At present, it has four electric cars in its portfolio: Tesla Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y.

The automaker also plans to launch its car in India soon.

When it comes to Tesla's India operations, the business has registered itself as 'Tesla India Motors and Energy' with the registrar of companies (ROC) in Bengaluru.

It's also in talks with 4-5 state governments to set up its research and development facility.

Tesla is expected to begin operations in India in the coming months, with the Model 3 being the first product provided to Indian customers.

In the US markets, Tesla's share price is currently trading at US$933. In the past one year, the stock price of the company has surged by 44% on the Nasdaq.

#2 General Motors (GM)

This century-old American car behemoth, as we all know, has been working on EV technology for quite some time now.

As it seeks to catch up to Tesla, GM has been investing billions of dollars to electrify its vehicles and trucks in recent years. The company has announced some big plans for its EVs in 2021.

Back in June 2021, General Motors said it will increase spending on electric and autonomous vehicles to US$35 bn through 2025, a 30% increase from plans announced late last year.

The announcement comes after the automaker said it wants to end production of its all diesel and gasoline powered cars, trucks, and SUVs by 2035.

It plans to shift its entire new fleet to electric vehicles as part of a broader plan to become carbon neutral by 2040.

General Motors plans to sell more than 1 m EVs annually by 2025.

The company's plans to expand its electric and autonomous vehicle lineup and technology have been received well by its shareholders. The stock of the carmaker is trading at US$59, up 42% against US$40 in the last year.

Note that in 2017, after 21 years of operations in India, General Motors announced that it will stop selling cars in India, as a part of its global restructuring actions.

#3 Volkswagen Group

European consumers are buying electric cars at a faster pace than ever, encouraged by government subsidies and the availability of models built by their favorite brands for the first time.

Volkswagen group, one of the biggest automotive groups in Europe, has been investing in EV technology for quite a long time now. This German company owns around 12 renowned brands including Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini.

The two electric car models offered by it are e-up! and e-Golf. Intending to produce 50 electric cars by 2025, Volkswagen is the third most popular EV manufacturer in the world.

Volkswagen also aims for the majority of its vehicles to be zero-emission around the world by 2040. The automobile group itself aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.

This year, the group sold 290,000 electric vehicles, a fraction of what Tesla sold globally over the same time period. Still, the Volkswagen Group has a 10% market share in electric vehicles.

Last month, Skoda Auto, which has been given charge of leading the Rs 80 bn investment in India by European auto major Volkswagen, announced plans to manufacture electric cars in the country.

Skoda Auto global chairman Thomas Schaefer said that electric mobility is a major focus area for the company globally, and India, through its policy incentives will be a key market for green vehicles.

The Volkswagen Group's India EV plans come at a time when firms like Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and the Korean twins Hyundai-Kia are trying to ramp up their green efforts and investments.

#4 BYD

BYD is one of the biggest electric car brands in China.

For decades, BYD has been a pioneer in Chinese manufacturing. Before entering the automobile sector, the firm spent ten years growing its mobile phone battery business, capturing more than half of the global cell phone battery market.

However, BYD later shifted its focus from conventional vehicles to electric cars, becoming one of the world's first vertically integrated EV manufacturers.

The Chinese automotive manufacturer is reportedly targeting sales of electric vehicles and other 'new energy vehicles' of up to 1.2 m in 2022.

According to local Chinese reports, BYD's monthly sales of new energy vehicles (NEV) is already approaching 1 lakh units.

BYD expects to sell around 6 lakh battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and between 5 lakh and 6 lakh plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) during 2022.

The company has a subsidiary in India called BYD India which recently announced its expansion plans in the country through an association with six renowned auto dealers.

The six dealers will run dealerships across eight cities - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Vijayawada.

All eight cities will offer sales and services for BYD's premium pure electric MPV, the all-new e6, which was launched in October for the B2B segment.

On the Shenzhen stock exchange, the company's share price is trading at 272 Chinese yuan (CYN).

Over the period of last twelve months, the stock has given a return of 41%.

Why EV stocks have the potential to provide huge profits in the future

Day by day the EV race is getting intense not only in India but globally too. The recent investor interest in EV stocks is understandable.

All the hype surrounding EV stocks is for a good reason. Slowly, EVs have begun replacing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

The transition to 100% EVs will bring opportunities not only for EV makers but also for several other players in the EV space.

You just need to invest in the right EV stocks which can make you a fortune.

Luckily, Equitymaster's research has uncovered a little-known way to play this massive 15x opportunity in electric vehicles.

So before you invest a single rupee in any EV stock, we highly recommend you watch this video to study the results of our latest research project.

Do check out the playlist on electric vehicles on Equitymaster's YouTube channel.

Here are Links to Some Very Insightful Equitymaster Articles on Electric vehicles:

• The Biggest Winners and Losers in India's Transition to Electric Vehicles
• A Value Investing Playbook for India's EV Boom
• The Real Wealth in Electric Vehicles
• 4 Ways to Play the EV Opportunity
• How to Find the Best EV Battery Stocks
• How to Play the EV Story without Actually Playing the EV Story
• A 100 Year Old Lesson to Create Wealth in Indian Electric Vehicle Stocks
• Investing in EV Stocks? Don't be Ahead of the Curve

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. Learn more about our recommendation services here...