Elon Musk, one of the most divisive characters in Silicon Valley, saw his net worth explode by over $100 billion in 2020 alone, setting records in wealth accumulation…

And that’s largely thanks to the dramatic rise of the electric vehicle trend that has taken Wall Street by storm.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) saw its share price skyrocket by over 600% last year…with the EV giant surging past some of the United States’ most influential companies, including Visa, JP Morgan, and Walmart.

Its market capitalization is now sitting at just over half of a trillion dollars…

And its success has paved the way for the entire industry, as well.

From charging infrastructure and battery makers to EV tie-ins, the electrification of everything is well underway.

But this exciting new industry is still in its infancy, and there are a few up-and-comers that could see Tesla-like returns in the coming years.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite EV industry plays that we think are still flying under the radar.

#1 Blink Charging (NASDAQ:BLNK)

Blink Charging was trading at just over $1.50 last May…

But the run-up in electric vehicle stocks has sent this infrastructure play soaring.

In just a year, Blink has seen its share price skyrocket by an astounding 1996%…but this could be just the beginning.

Investors are betting big on the future. It’s an “if you build it, they will come” stock story, and it’s still in its first act.

Blink is building an electric vehicle charging network, and it has explosive potential.

Right now, It’s caught in a positive feedback loop. The bigger the electric vehicle industry becomes, the more potential Blink has.

We recommended this stock back when it was trading at just $10 per share…

But we’re doubling down on the infrastructure boom.

Why? Because U.S. President Joe Biden is closer than ever to sealing a multi-trillion-dollar deal that will prioritize homegrown renewable energy infrastructure.

There are currently only 41,000 EV charging stations in the United States…

And the system is almost comically broken.

This is one space that Tesla absolutely dominates…

Its supercharging network is second to none. But for non-Tesla-owners, there are simply not enough options.

But this could be changing.

Over the next ten years, President Joe Biden is planning on spending billions of dollars to increase the total charging stations in the United States to 550,000.

Just for a little bit of context… there are only about 150,000 gas stations in the United States.

In addition to Biden’s plan to ramp up infrastructure deployment, the President is also looking to replace the entire fleet of government vehicles with EVs…

That means the pressure is on to get this infrastructure locked and loaded.

While there are some private charging initiatives like Tesla’s already being rolled out, they’re unlikely to benefit from Biden’s ambitious infrastructure push…

As Chris Nelder, manager of Carbon-Free Mobility at the Rocky Mountain Institute, explained, “To whatever extent public money is being spent, it should only be spent on sites that are available to the public,” adding, “that’s certainly true for this Biden infrastructure spending plan.”

So while Tesla’s supercharger network has turned a lot of heads…

The real explosion is still to come. And Blink is one of the few companies that already has an edge in this looming infrastructure boom.

#2 Facedrive (TSXV:FD,OTC:FDVRF)

The world is changing, that much is certain.

The largest transfer of wealth in history is currently taking place…

And companies are being forced to adapt or die.

Millennial money is pouring into the stock market, fueled in part by zero fee trading apps…

And the most successful businesses might in future be those with a focus on green energy and technology.

We think that Facedrive, in particular, encapsulates these demands perfectly.

It’s the tie-in of tie-ins because it’s built an entire ecosystem with connetions to the electric vehicle industry.

From ride-sharing to carbon-offset food delivery, it’s captured two rapidly growing segments under a single umbrella.

And it hasn’t stopped there.

They’ve already re-imagined ride-sharing, providing a cutting-edge carbon-offset alternative to the giants of the industry, Uber and Lyft…

But now they’re looking to challenge the notion of car ownership as we know it.

We’ve all read the headlines …

“Millennials Turn Their Back On Car Ownership”

“Millennials Say They'd Give Up Their Cars Before Their Computers or Cell Phones”

“The Reasons Why Millennials Aren't As Car Crazed As Baby Boomers”

And Facedrive saw this coming a mile away.

With its acquisition of Steer, a subscription-based electric vehicle business, users can order a Tesla, Porsche, or Audi EV that will be personally delivered directly to their doorstep.

Not only does this mean you can enjoy the quality and luxury of these top-tier brands, but you can also drive a fully insured electric vehicle when you want it, without having to worry about buying an asset that loses most of its value as soon as you drive it off the lot.

This simple concept effectively allows users the ability to lease any number of vehicles without committing to – or paying an outrageous upfront cost for – one specific car.

This is how you’ll probably drive a Tesla in the future.

Or, an Audi e-Tron.

And this is an important development…

Younger generations just aren’t interested in owning….most things.

Subscription services have grown by leaps and bounds.

From fashion and hygiene to media consumption… And even housing.

The new generations want convenience, freedom, and variety.

This is the ‘subscription economy’…

And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Netflix, the de-facto leader of the subscription boom, is currently sitting on a $200 billion market cap…

• Selina, an international subscription-based co-working and co-living empire has raised nearly a billion dollars in just a few rounds of VC funding…

• Ipsy, a beauty box subscription service, is pulling down more than $500 million in revenue every year…

• Even the popular dating app Tinder saw its subscription revenue soar to $1.2 billion in 2020.

There’s a subscription for most everything…And Facedrive (TSXV:FD,OTC:FDVRF) has positioned itself to fit in the middle of the booming new business model and the electric vehicle market that is set to grow exponentially in the years to come.

#3 Fisker (NYSE:FSR)

Fisker is a fairly speculative play in the EV world…

In fact, it won’t even begin producing its electric SUVs until 2023.

But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching.

It’s probably one of the most reasonably-priced EV stocks on the market.

It’s a slow burner that’s quietly sealing massive deals while doing its best to stay out of the limelight.

And in a market full of overblown valuations fueled by a hype-machine that just can’t quit…

Fisker is a breath of fresh air.

Fisker is another speculative play. It won’t start producing its EV SUVs until 2023. But again, it’s a story stock that looks a lot like Tesla did in the early days.

Citigroup analyst Italy Michaeli recently picked up coverage of Fisker, with a “Buy” rating and a price target of $26.

Michaeli gets the narrative here, reminding investors that “as a pre-revenue company, Fisker is clearly a higher-risk investment proposition”, but there’s a big reason to be bullish…

Fisker has four long-term advantages here:

• It’s making an SUV, which Michaeli says is a good segment to target.

• It’s got a strong brand.

• It’s got a legacy behind the wheel: Henrik Fisker is Fisker’s founder and he’s a legend in automotive design.

• And it’s a massive saver of capital because it has an innovative “asset-light” approach, getting Magna International to assemble its first vehicle.

It’s already got 9,000 advance orders … prepaid.

And when it does come out with its first Ocean SUV, it will be at a $40,000 price point and a super flexible lease set-up that could be incredibly disruptive …and at exactly the right time.

Chinese Electric Vehicle Companies Are Facing Off For Market Dominance

NIO Limited (NYSE:NIO) ) was once just a pipe dream for investors in the EV market. It was even on the brink of bankruptcy But China’s answer to Tesla’s dominance powered on, eclipsed estimates, and most importantly, kept its balance sheet in line. And it’s paid off. In a big way. The company has seen its share price soar from $3.24 at the start of 2020 to a high of $50 earlier this year before falling back to its current price of $38.

Then, in November of 2020, NIO unveiled a pair of vehicles that would make even the biggest Tesla devotees truly contemplate their brand loyalty. The vehicles, meant to compete with Tesla’s Model 3, could be exactly what the company needs to take control of its domestic market.

In addition to its automotive push, however, Nio, Tesla’s largest competitor in China, has also started to offer a batteries-as-a-service concept, in which car buyers can ‘lease’ the battery of their vehicle and save as much as $10,000 on the price of a new vehicle, while also offering buyers the option to swap batteries after a few years of use. And that’s huge news in the lithium world, because it will mean give miners even greater incentive to sign deals with the battery innovator.

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.

Due in large part to its exposure to the renewable energy market, Celestica’s (TSX:CLS) future is tied hand-in-hand with the green energy boom that’s sweeping the world at the moment. It helps build smart and efficient products that integrate the latest in power generation, conversion and management technology to deliver smarter, more efficient grid and off-grid applications for the world’s leading energy equipment manufacturers and developers.

Like the rest of the market, Celestica fell victim to the massive selloff sparked by the global COVID-19 pandemic, seeing its share price fall into the $2 range in March 2020. Since then, however, the stock price has soared by nearly 400% to its current trading price of $8.60.

Blink Charging (NASDAQ:BLNK) is an energy storage company with a focus on developing and deploying smart, flexible, cost-effective batteries to the grid. They are currently working on their first project in Southern California where they provide all-electric utility transportation services for the City of San Diego. Blink's goal is to create a more sustainable world by providing clean, reliable power for everyone.

And it’s paying off. Blink has risen by over 1500% since this time last year. And the sky is the limit for this up-and-comer. A wave of new deals, including a collaboration with EnerSys to deploy electric vehicles and charging stations adds further support.

Michael D. Farkas, for his part, the founder, CEO and Executive Chairman of Blink noted, “This is an exciting collaboration with EnerSys because it combines the industry-leading technologies of our two companies to provide user-friendly, high powered, next-generation charging alternatives. We are continuously innovating our product offerings to provide more efficient and convenient charging options to the growing community of EV drivers.”

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is an American automotive and energy company based in Palo Alto, California. Founded by Elon Musk in 2003, the company specializes in electric cars, lithium-ion battery energy storage, solar panels and also sells its products online. Tesla's first car was the Roadster sports car which became a reality when they began accepting orders for it on July 22nd 2008. The company has gone through many ups and downs over the years but recently they have been experiencing more success than ever before with their Model S sedan that received critical acclaim from both Consumer Reports as well as Motor Trend magazine who named it Car of the Year 2013.

Tesla was the talk of Wall Street in 2020. Throughout the year, the de facto king of electric vehicles dominated headlines and defied expectations. The meteoric rise by Tesla stock has seen CEO Elon Musk leapfrog several billionaires including Bill Gates to become the second-richest man on earth with a net worth of over $155 billion. Musk even briefly surpassed Jeff Bezos at one point to become the richest man in the world.

Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR, TSX:MAXR) is a high flying tech stock to watch in the energy transition. Why? Its wholelly-owned subsidiary, SSL, a designer and manufacturer of satellites used by government and commercial enterprises, has pioneered research in electric propulsion systems, lithium-ion power systems and the use of advanced composites on commercial satellites. These innovations are key because they allow satellites to spend more time in orbit, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. And it’s greener than traditional power sources.

Maxar has seen its share of up and downs, but investors are finally taking note on its true potential. While it slumped a little bit earlier in the year, it’s finally starting to gain some traction. And as the company snags more deals, it could very well continue to climb.

Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC, TSX:LAC) is one of North America’s most important and successful pure-play lithium companies. And it’s not ignoring the growing demand from investors for responsible and sustainable mining, either. In fact, one of its primary goals is to create a positive impact on society and the environment through its projects. This includes cleaner mining tech, strong workplace safety practices, a range of opportunities for employees, and strong relationships with local governments to ensure that not only are its employees being taken care of, but locals as well.

Lithium Americas is well-positioned to ride the wave of growing lithium demand in the years to come. It’s already raised nearly a billion dollars in equity and debt, showing that investors have a ton of interest in the company’s ambitious plans, and it will likely continue its promising growth and expansion for years to come.

Magna International (TSX:MG) isn’t necessarily an EV producer, but it is a great way to gain exposure to the EV – and by extension ESG – market without betting big on one of the new hot automaker stocks tearing up Robinhood right now.

More than a decade ago, Magna International was already making major moves in the battery market, investing over half a billion dollars in battery production while the market was still in its infancy. At the time, electric vehicles as we know them had barely hit the scene, with Tesla launching its premiere car just two years prior. Magna’s massive investment has paid if in a big way, however. Since its battery bet, the company has seen its valuation soar by tens of billions of dollars, and it has solidified itself as one of the leaders in the business.

Like Magna, Westport Fuel Systems (TSX:WPRT) is another hardware and tech provider in the auto-industry.It builds products to help the transportation industry reduce their carbon footprint. It is an important company to watch as new fuels and new forms of energy take the spotlight. Especially as the world races to leave behind traditional gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. That’s because, while it is a manufacturing play at heart, it offers a particularly unique way to gain exposure to the alternative fuels market. As a key manufacturer of the hardware needed to build natural gas and other alternative-fueled cars, Westport is definitely a company to watch in this scene.

Due in large part to its exposure to the renewable energy market, Celestica’s (TSX:CLS) future is tied hand-in-hand with the green energy boom that’s sweeping the world at the moment. It helps build smart and efficient products that integrate the latest in power generation, conversion and management technology to deliver smarter, more efficient grid and off-grid applications for the world’s leading energy equipment manufacturers and developers.

Like the rest of the market, Celestica fell victim to the massive selloff sparked by the global COVID-19 pandemic, seeing its share price fall into the $2 range in March 2020. Since then, however, the stock price has soared by nearly 300% to its current trading price of $7.90

By. Olu Fashola

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Forward-Looking Statements

Forward looking statements in this publication include that Facedrive will be able to expand to its EV subscription service; that transport in an EV through subscription services will become much more popular and that Facedrive will be able to carry out its business plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that riders are not as attracted to EV rides or subscription services as expected; that competitors may offer better or cheaper alternatives to the Facedrive businesses; Facedrive’s ability to obtain and retain necessary licensing in each geographical area in which it operates; and whether markets justify additional expansion. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and we assume no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

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