NIO (NIO) has enjoyed more than its fair share of attention from investors in ’20 and also at the start of ’21. If you are on the hunt for electric vehicle stocks aside from NIO, you are not alone.

Do some digging and you will find there are more electric vehicle stocks than those featured in the mainstream media. It simply does not make sense to put all of your investing eggs in the basket of NIO when there are several other green automotive stocks just as worthy or even more worthy of your money.

Here is a quick look at four of the top electric vehicle stocks outperforming NIO year-to-date: Workhorse (WKHS), Nikola (NKLA), Electrameccanica Vehicles Corp. (SOLO), and Lordstown Motors (RIDE).

Workhorse (WKHS)

Click here to learn more about the electric vehicle industry in 2021

WKHS has been on fire to start the new year, nearly doubling in a mere six weeks. Part of WKHS’s recent success is attributable to anticipated government spending on electric vehicles under the Biden administration. Plenty of investors believe WKHS will win a $6.3 billion U.S. Postal Service contract that will be decided in the second quarter of ’21.

Even if WKHS does not win the USPS contract, the company will still survive. This past January, WKHS executives revealed the company received an order for more than 6,000 electric delivery vans. The order is larger than the company’s expected orders for the entirety of the year ahead. The order was placed by Pride Group Enterprises, an auto wholesaler that operates in North America. WKHS employees are hard at work manufacturing the 6,000+ C-Series electric package-delivery vans. The only caveat to the deal is about 2,000 of the vehicles would be delivered in ’21 while the remainder is delivered through ’26.

In short, it is clear that there will be significant and ongoing demand for WKHS “last mile” electric vehicles. Though these vehicles top out at 75 miles per hour, they will not spend the majority of their miles on highways. Rather, these electric vans will transport packages and other items from distribution centers to residences and businesses, most of which are located in the suburbs and cities.

Nikola (NKLA)

NKLA, an emerging EV-maker, uses batteries and hydrogen fuel cell technology to power vehicles in a green manner. NKLA also makes Powersports vehicles and semi-trucks. NKLA started the year at $16.08 and is now trading at an impressive $23.

The analysts are bullish on NKLA, setting an average price target of $28.33 for the stock, meaning it has the potential to pop by more than 20%. The highest analyst price target for the stock is $47, which represents a full 100% increase from the stock’s current price. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives recently upgraded NKLA, bumping the price target from $15 all the way to $25.

NKLA’s recent ascension is partially the result of the Biden administration’s support for the EV market. Biden has made no secret of the fact that his administration will accelerate the EV market’s growth. It is particularly important to note the United States Department of Energy recently announced it would fund research pertaining to hydrogen fuel cell technology that NKLA is dependent upon for growth.

Electrameccanica Vehicles Corp. (SOLO)

It is hard to believe SOLO was a penny stock for much of ’20. SOLO quickly ascended from a couple of dollars per share to $5 and beyond following the coronavirus market meltdown. SOLO started the year at $6.58 and is now trading at $8.46.

SOLO’s recent rise is attributable to growing optimism for the EV industry. However, it is also important to note SOLO recently announced it will expand its retail operations. SOLO will soon expand on the West Coast, opening new retail sites in California and Arizona. All in all, SOLO will have 13 locations. It is clear there is a growing demand for SOLO’s single-occupancy vehicles.

While many other EV makers are valued at a 100 multiple or more of its anticipated annual sales, SOLO is trading at a comparable discount, priced at a 40 multiple of expected annual sales. There is analyst optimism that SOLO will grow its sales 25% on an annual basis across the next decade as the masses gradually shift away from pollutive gas-guzzling vehicles to green EVs.

Lordstown Motors (RIDE)

RIDE makes light-duty fleet electric vehicles. RIDE started ’21 at $20.38. The stock has since climbed all the way to $29 in a month and a half. RIDE makes its vehicles in the Lordstown Assembly plant previously used by General Motors (GM). The top analysts believe RIDE will move even higher in the months and years ahead, establishing an average price target of $35.75 for the stock. If RIDE reaches this price, it will have climbed more than 30%.

RIDE has in excess of 100,000 reservations for its electric pickup truck dubbed Endurance. If everything goes as planned, the Endurance model will commence production this autumn. All of the reservations stem from commercial operators. However, RIDE CEO Steve Burns indicated the U.S. military and government fleet operators have also expressed interest in RIDE vehicles. RIDE’s current average order size is an impressive 600 vehicles.