Electric Car Stocks Making Moves in 2010

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Despite its parent company's financial failings in the last decade, Chevrolet's press conference yesterday announcing pricing on its new Volt electric vehicle reminded America that the auto industry still stands to impress with innovation. The Volt is arguably the most anticipated EV in history, offering to bring zero-emissions and electric efficiency to the mass market.

In yesterday's announcement, Chevrolet announced that the Volt would be base priced at $41,000, before a $7,500 tax credit that brings the cost down to $33,500. The company also plans on making a lease option available for $350 per month.

But while GM's offering is the most tangible mass-market electric car out there right now, there's more to the EV market than just the Volt. Here's a look at a handful of electric car stocks that could make moves in 2010.

Tesla Motors(TSLA) made waves earlier this summer when shares went public in a 13.3 million share IPO that priced on June 29. Since then, shares have languished in the secondary market, tumbling from a high of $30.42 on June 30 to a current price of $20.55. But while Tesla hasn't wowed investors with its share performance just yet, it stands to impress Wall Street with its commercial viability in 2010.

Tesla has carved out an interesting niche in the electric car market, focusing on high-performance luxury autos for the affluent. The company's Tesla Roadster carries a six-figure price tag and is billed as an alternative to traditional gasoline-powered supercars. But perhaps more interesting is the company's Model S, slated to reach customers' garages in 2012. The Model S, a four-door luxury sedan, sports a more modest price tag (the base price is $49,000) and is more practical for daily drivers.

But while Tesla's own models are the public face of the company, some of its biggest prospects are in partnerships with other carmakers. The company has already penned a potentially lucrative deal with Toyota(TM), the terms of which investors will get a taste of when Tesla announces second-quarter 2010 numbers on Aug. 4.

Another developmental stock that's garnered attention for its EV technology is battery maker A123 Systems(AONE), which IPO'd in late 2009. With batteries taking center stage as the most important component of any EV platform, A123's value to automakers is immense. The company's next-generation lithium ion offerings stand to give manufacturers their needed power at a substantial weight savings to previous iterations. And as EVs become commonplace, A123's market could expand greatly.