All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
How to invest in electric cars
Find out how to invest in electric cars and some of the risks involved.
Electric cars use electricity to run with rechargeable batteries. They don’t have any exhaust fumes and produce fewer emissions than standard petrol or diesel cars. We’ve listed some electric car stocks and explained how to get started.
There are a number of incentives worldwide to getting an electric car. In the UK, those buying electric cars can make use of the “Plug-in Car Grant”, which covers up to a 35% discount on the vehicle’s recommended retail price, up to a limit of £5,000. The UK government supports “Plugged-In Places”, a program designed to install vehicle recharging points across the UK.
As well as this, all electric vehicles qualify for a 100% discount from the London congestion charge.
To help reduce our impact on the environment, the UK has plans to end the sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, as set out in the government’s 25 year environmental plan.
How to invest in electric cars
- Choose a share dealing platform. We’ve listed some below for you to consider. A lot of the companies listed below are based in the US, so to invest in them you’ll need to choose a provider that lets you trade US stocks.
- Open an account. Be prepared to give information about your income, national insurance number and where you live.
- Fund your account. You’ll need enough funds in your account to cover the shares you want to buy.
- Choose your electric car stocks and search for it. We’ve given you some ideas below. Make sure you do your research into the company’s financials and performance.
- Submit an order. Choose how many shares you want and review the price.
- Hit buy. Once you’re happy with the price of the shares and comfortable with your investment, hit “Buy”.
Electric car stocks
Here are some of the companies leading the way in electric cars.
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA)
Tesla is an electric vehicle and clean energy company. It creates electric cars, battery energy storage, solar panels and solar roof tiles. Tesla was founded in 2003 as Tesla Motors.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla was, until the end of February 2021, the world’s richest man. He fell behind Amazon founder Jeff Bezos when the plunging price of Tesla shares dropped him down to second place.
Get more detailed information and learn how to buy Tesla sharesNio Inc (NYSE: NIO)
Nio is a Chinese car manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai that specialises in electric vehicles. Nio has a network of 131 battery swap stations in 58 cities in China.
Nio cars are fitted with NOMI, which is AI technology that can control the music and take selfies of your passengers.
Get more detailed information and learn how to buy NIO sharesLi Auto Inc (NASDAQ: LI)
Li Auto, or Li Xiang is an electric vehicle manufacturer in Beijing.Li Auto specialises in hybrid vehicles, which can be powered with either electricity or gasoline as an attempt to wean consumers off of petrol powered vehicles.
Li Auto only floated on NASDAQ in July 2020, when it raised $1.1 billion (about £780 million) and was valued at around $10 billion (around £7 billion).
Get more detailed information and learn how to buy Li Auto sharesGeneral Motors Co (NYSE: GM)
General Motors designs, manufactures, markets and distributes vehicles and vehicle parts. It’s the largest American automobile manufacturer and one of the largest in the world.
GM has committed to 30 new electric vehicles by 2025. It’s aiming to make its cars accessible to everyone with its Ultium Platform.
Get more detailed information and learn how to buy General Motors sharesBMW AG (DAX: BMW)
BMW has started to produce electric cars, Plug-in Hybrids and Mild Hybrid vehicles. It’s got BMW 360° Electric, which offers charging technology, and the ChargeNow public charging network, giving access to more than 7,000 UK public charging points.
Compare investment services
Table: sorted by promoted deals first
The risks of investing in electric cars
Many hope that electric cars become the norm in society, but there are some risks involved.
The main one is with the materials needed to produce the cars. Lithium-ion batteries power today’s electric vehicles, but lithium is both difficult to mine and a finite resource. A rise in the production of electric vehicles will see demand soaring.
Lithium’s environmental impact could put environmentally conscious customers at odds with manufacturers. Moreover, regulations on lithium emissions may indirectly have a negative impact on the electric vehicle sector.
Finder survey: Would Brits consider investing in electric cars stocks?
56% of people we surveyed said they already invest in electric cars stocks or would consider investing in electric cars stocks.
| Response | |
|---|---|
| I would consider it | 47.79% |
| I wouldn't consider it | 23.8% |
| Not sure | 20.3% |
| I already invest in this | 8.12% |
Source: Finder survey by Censuswide of Brits, December 2023
This article offers general information about investing and the stock market, but should not be construed as personal investment advice. It has been provided without consideration of your personal circumstances or objectives. It should not be interpreted as an inducement, invitation or recommendation relating to any of the products listed or referred to. The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invested, so your capital is at risk. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you're not sure which investments are right for you, please get financial advice. The author holds no positions in any share mentioned.
More guides on Finder
-
How to buy Porsche shares
Everything we know about the Porsche IPO, plus information on how to buy shares.
-
How to buy VinFast shares
Everything we know about the VinFast IPO, plus information on how to buy shares.
-
How to buy Mullen Automotive shares
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Mullen Automotive? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Mullen Automotive.
-
How to buy Polestar shares
Everything we know about the Polestar IPO, plus information on how to buy shares.
-
How to buy Rivian shares
Everything we know about the Rivian IPO, plus information on how to buy shares.
-
How to buy Canoo shares
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Canoo? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Canoo.
-
How to buy Li Auto shares
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Li Auto? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Li Auto.
-
How to buy Tesla shares
Is Tesla a buy? Check out the live Tesla share price, analysis and Tesla shares price history. We also explain how to buy Tesla shares in the UK.
-
How to buy Rolls-Royce shares
Learn more about Rolls Royce’s recent share performance and where you can buy Rolls Royce shares. We also run through a helpful checklist for anyone looking to invest.