A Charge Is Gonna Come

To hear too many investors talk, you’d think the future of EV had narrowed down to Tesla, XPeng, and maybe Xiaomi, with global auto stalwarts the only counter-opposing force.

True, they’re not as narrow-minded as those who still condemn electric vehicles for their clumsy batteries, and lack of charging stations. To a historical ear, they sound like the codgers who compared autos unfavorably to horses, in that the latter was more easily replenished by ubiquitous grass.

Electric and autonomous is the near-future, to be manifested in no small part by dint of China’s annual work report. This year, the shibboleth “new energy vehicle” was swapped out for a new lexicon: “charging station”, “battery-swapping facilities”, and “battery recycling”. Such words speak to a commitment to match support of EV development with a fervor to provide the infrastructure in which electric autos can zip about unhindered by battery-range concerns.

“The new focus on EV infrastructure provides a world of opportunity, largely unrecognized by investors as of yet,” says Jimmie Jeremejev. “There’s still a huge charging gap, for instance, despite the installation of 112 thousand stations last December alone. “Very promising for still-unlisted provider StarCharge. Or look at battery maker CATL. They’re up over two hundred percent year-on-year, and by no means have the market cornered. Then there are other new businesses such as battery financing and leasing to consider. All very promising, with lots of upside for those with vision.”