Must-Watch EV and AV Stocks to Supercharge Your Portfolio

Industry Overview - Global electric vehicle (EV) sales are projected to reach nearly 22 million in 2025, marking a 25% increase from the previous year, with one in four cars sold being fully electric or plug-in hybrids [2] - China is expected to account for nearly two-thirds of all EV sales, while Europe and the United States are increasing their offerings of affordable models as battery prices decline [2][3] - The autonomous vehicle (AV) market is anticipated to grow from approximately $36 billion in 2025 to over $83 billion by 2035, reflecting an 8.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) [4] Company Insights: Luminar Technologies - Luminar Technologies focuses on LiDAR technology, transitioning from its older Iris system to a new unified platform called Halo, which promises faster deployment and lower costs [7][10] - The company has secured partnerships with several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for testing Halo prototypes, with a full launch expected by late 2026 or early 2027 [8][10] - Luminar's LiDAR technology is already featured in Volvo vehicles and is expanding into industrial markets through a partnership with Caterpillar [9][10] Company Insights: Li Auto - Li Auto has gained traction in China's EV market with its extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), selling over 200,000 units of each L-series model [12][13] - The company is expanding into pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plans to increase its retail presence and supercharging stations significantly by the end of 2025 [14] - Li Auto is advancing in autonomous driving technology, utilizing NVIDIA chips and training AI models on extensive video data [15][16] Company Insights: Rivian Automotive - Rivian is set to launch a more affordable electric SUV, the R2, priced around $45,000, which aims to broaden its market reach [17] - The company achieved a positive gross margin in Q1 2025, unlocking a $1 billion investment from Volkswagen, which plans to invest up to $5.8 billion by 2027 [18] - Rivian is enhancing its operational efficiency through engineering improvements and supply chain fixes, while expanding its production capacity with new facilities [20][21]