Li Auto, Volcon, Polestar, Tesla, Lucid: 5 Auto Stocks With The Biggest Retail Buzz Surge Last Week

Li Auto, Inc. (400% jump in message volume)

China-based Li Auto shares surged in their last two sessions after the company unveiled a photo of its second battery electric vehicle (BEV), the i8, last week. 

While details on pricing and specs remain unclear, JPMorgan sees the i8 as a defining moment for Li Auto's long-awaited BEV strategy. 

The research firm reportedly upgraded Li Auto to 'Overweight' from 'Neutral' and raised its price target to $40 from $22. 

It predicted the company's annual sales volume could double to 1 million units by 2027, with over 35% coming from BEVs. 

JPMorgan also highlighted Li Auto's lead in L2+ semi-autonomous driving tech over most Chinese EV peers.

Volcon, Inc. (300% jump in message volume)

Volcon's retail interest soared after its ePowersports division signed a supply agreement with Venom-EV to provide golf carts, with an initial order of 500 units. 

The company, which focuses on electric outdoor power sports vehicles, closed a $12 million public offering earlier in February, issuing 6 million common units at $2 apiece.

Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC (175% jump in message volume)

Shares of Polestar fell Friday after the company secured a 12-month loan facility of up to $450 million while delaying its fourth-quarter (Q4) and full-year 2024 filings until April. 

The company did not disclose the purpose of the funds, raising investor concerns as its total liabilities stood at about $3.52 billion as of Dec. 31. 

Additionally, a U.S. Department of Commerce ban on Russian and Chinese software in vehicles could pose a risk to Polestar, which currently manufactures most of its cars in China, according to Cantor Fitzgerald.

Tesla, Inc. (98% jump in message volume)

Tesla made headlines after applying for a ride-hailing permit in California, signaling its intent to enter the transportation service sector and compete with Uber (UBER), Lyft (LYFT), and Waymo (GOOGL).

However, retail sentiment remains bearish, with several traders urging CEO Elon Musk to focus on Tesla rather than his commitments with the Trump administration. 

Tesla's market cap also slipped below $1 trillion amid concerns about declining sales momentum.

Lucid Group Inc. (93% jump in message volume)

Lucid shares plunged last week following CEO Peter Rawlinson's unexpected departure, fueling doubts about the struggling EV maker's future. 

BofA Securities downgraded Lucid to Underperform from Neutral and slashed its price target to $1 from $3, citing leadership uncertainty despite its upbeat Q4 results.

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