How to invest in electric cars

Find out how to invest in electric cars and some of the risks involved.

Ways to invest in electric vehicles Learn more
Some of the top EV stocks See top stocks

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

  1. 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.
  2. Open an account. Be prepared to give information about your income, national insurance number and where you live.
  3. Fund your account. You’ll need enough funds in your account to cover the shares you want to buy.
  4. 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.
  5. Submit an order. Choose how many shares you want and review the price.
  6. 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 shares

Nio 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 shares

Li 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 shares

General 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 shares

BMW 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
Name Product UKFST Finder Score Min. initial deposit Price per trade Frequent trader rate Platform fees Offer Link
Finder Award
FREE TRADES
eToro Free Stocks
4.3
★★★★★
$100
£0 on stocks
N/A
£0
Go to site

Capital at risk. Fees apply.

Platform details
XTB
4.4
★★★★★
£0
£0
£0
£0
Earn up to 4.75% interest on uninvested cash.
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Capital at risk

Platform details
InvestEngine
4.4
★★★★★
£100
£0
N/A
0% - 0.25%
Get a Welcome Bonus of up to £50 when you invest at least £100 with InvestEngine. T&Cs apply.
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Capital at risk

Platform details
Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account
4.2
★★★★★
£1
£11.95
£5.95
£0 (0.45% for funds)
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
OFFER
Freetrade
4.4
★★★★★
£1
£0
N/A
£0
Get a free share worth up to £100 when you sign up and deposit at least £50. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
IG Share Dealing
4.1
★★★★★
£0
From £8
From £0
£8 per month
Get 0% commission on US shares. Offer ends 22 November 2024. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
Wealthify
4.2
★★★★★
£1
£0
N/A
0.6%
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
interactive investor Trading Account
4.2
★★★★★
£0
£3.99 (free regular investing)
£0
From £4.99 a month
Pay no account fee for 6 months when you open an ii Trading Account. Offer ends 31 December. Capital at risk. Terms & trading fees apply. New customers only.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
SaxoInvestor Share Dealing Account
4.3
★★★★★
£0
£3
N/A
0.12% per year
Limited time offer: Zero commission on 100 US stocks for new customers. T&Cs apply.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
Moneyfarm
3.9
★★★★★
£1
£3.95
N/A
£0
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
Charles Stanley share dealing account
3.6
★★★★★
£0
£11.50
N/A
0.35%
Get up to £1,500 cashback when you transfer your cash and/or investments to Charles Stanley Direct. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
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Capital at risk

Platform details
CMC Invest share dealing account
4.4
★★★★★
£0
£0
N/A
£0
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
Trading212
4.7
★★★★★
£1
0%
£0
£0
Get free fractional shares worth up to £100 when you sign up with Finder's link. T&Cs apply. Capital at risk.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Platform details
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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.


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 it47.79%
I wouldn't consider it23.8%
Not sure20.3%
I already invest in this8.12%
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.
Zoe Stabler DipFA's headshot
Senior writer

Zoe was a senior writer at Finder specialising in investment and banking, and during this time, she joined the Women in FinTech Powerlist 2022. She is currently a senior money writer at Be Clever With Your Cash. Zoe has a BA in English literature and a Diploma for Financial Advisers. She has several years of experience in writing about all things personal finance. Zoe has a particular love for spreadsheets, having also worked as a management accountant. In her spare time, you’ll find Zoe skating at her local ice rink. See full bio

Zoe's expertise
Zoe has written 164 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Share dealing
  • Reviews and comparisons of trading platforms
  • Robo-advisors
  • Pensions
  • Banking

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