Misc
Visual Capitalist’s Top 15 Infographics of 2015
Put down your turkey leftovers and the rum-infused eggnog – it’s time to recap our favorite posts on Visual Capitalist from 2015.
The following list includes a mix of infographics, data visualizations, and charts. Some of the posts listed here were among the most popular graphics on the entire site. Others that made the list are graphics that are diamonds in the rough.
If you are new to the site, it also may be worth checking out last year’s edition of this post that covered the best content from 2014.
Without further ado…
15. By this measure, the U.S. has the 2nd highest national debt
The standard measure for national debt compares a country’s debt with its economic output as measured by GDP.
In this data visualization, however, we showed that the world looks very different using a debt-to-revenue ratio instead. We visualize the national debt as compared to the amount of tax revenue coming into the central government’s coffers, which is arguably a better way to look at a country’s capacity to pay.
14. The Cybersecurity Boom
Over recent years, the world has been under siege from cyberattacks. Blue chip companies like J.P. Morgan Chase, Target, and Sony were hacked, and even the U.S. government was compromised with over 20 million records stolen. Cybersecurity companies are here to help us fight back, and that’s what makes the industry interesting for investors.
The market in cybersecurity is expected to be worth more than $170 billion by 2020.
13. Mapping Every Power Plant in the United States
Every wonder how much power in the United States is generated by solar in comparison to nuclear plants? This post is for you.
In this data visualization, every power plant in the country is mapped and quantified. The end result is a crystal clear picture of how electricity is really generated.
12. The Jade series
Did you know that China’s cultural affinity for jade has existed for longer than Western civilization?
This highly illustrative three-part series examines this as well as the emerging nephrite jade market in British Columbia.
11. The U.S. Debt Ceiling Has Risen No Matter Who is in Office
Around October, U.S. lawmakers reached an impasse on raising the debt ceiling. Republicans wanted to play hardball by linking a ceiling increase to conservative issues, but our chart shows that this kind of brinkmanship may have been inauthentic to start with.
The reality is clear: the debt ceiling has risen no matter who is in office.
10. The Race for Arctic Domination
There’s a new “cold war”, but this time it is in the freezing Arctic. Over recent decades, ice has thawed in the Arctic and 2008 became the first year that both the Northeast Passage (North of Russia) and the Northwest Passage (North of Canada) were open to ships simultaneously.
This means it may be the first time that a vessel could theoretically circumnavigate the North Pole in 125,000 years. Not surprisingly, countries such as Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark, and the United States have taken notice and are posturing accordingly.
9. Millennials on Investing, Debt, and Banking
Polls show that 65% of millennials feel confident about their finances. This is higher than all other generations.
The problem? Their actual knowledge about investing, debt, and banking is questionable at best.
8. Most Americans Reached Peak Income More than 15 Years Ago
The majority of Americans are worse off than they were 15 years ago. That’s because Census data shows that 1,623 counties reached their highest income in 1999.
Even further, there are 782 counties that have their best days way behind them. Their incomes peaked 35 or more years ago.
7. Order From Chaos: How Big Data Will Change the World
We’ve all heard about “Big Data”, but what is it really? This infographic explains everything you need to know behind this new reality for business, and its implications for companies and investors.
6. Canada’s has the Most Overvalued Housing Market in the World
The Economist has determined that Canada’s property market is the most overvalued in the world in terms of rent prices (+89%), and the third most overvalued in terms of incomes (+35%).
In the post, we go over some of the arguments for and against Canada’s frothy market.
5. China Consumes Mind-Boggling Amounts of Raw Materials
The 1.4 billion people living in China account for 13% of global GDP, but this chart shows that for commodity producers, the country means so much more. China consumes upwards of half of the world’s cement, aluminum, and nickel, along with huge amounts of other base metals, energy commodities, precious metals, and food.
4. $60 Trillion of World Debt in One Visualization
Two weeks before this post, we had published a chart showing the world economy in one visualization. In the corresponding comments section, a user asked us if we could put together a similar visualization but instead looking at world debt.
This visualization on national debt was the end result, and it ended up making the front page of Reddit, as well as being posted on Business Insider, The Huffington Post, The World Economic Forum, Zero Hedge, Daily Reckoning,
3. The Industrial Internet and How It’s Revolutionizing Mining
The industrial internet is the convergence of the global industrial sector with the internet of things. In this infographic we show how this new technology will change how the mining sector works.
2. Powering New York
This was one of our favorite posts of the year.
In this slideshow, we visualize what it takes to power NYC with every type of energy including gas, wind, solar, nuclear, and more.
1. All the World’s Money and Markets in One Visualization
We created this year’s top post for The Money Project which we are doing in conjunction with Texas Precious Metals.
In the data visualization, we compare the world’s money and markets to help give perspective to global money supply.
The final result was one of our most viewed infographics of all time, receiving over 1,000,000 views in just a matter of weeks. It was featured on Marketwatch, Business Insider, Zero Hedge, Morningstar, as well as making the front page of Reddit.
What was your favorite post of the year? What would you like to see more of? Feel free to sound off in the comments section.
Automotive
Mapped: Most Searched-For Electric Vehicles by Country
Industry stars, new entrants, and local models all populate this map of the most searched-for electric vehicles by country in 2022.

The Most Searched-For Electric Vehicles By Country
The EV revolution has been in full swing over the last few years, with new electric vehicles reaching milestones in range and affordability.
But as with traditional automobiles, countries around the world have different favorite models.
So which electric vehicle is each country’s inhabitants interested in? GRIDSERVE pulled together a database of the most searched-for electric vehicles by country in 2022.
Using Google Keyword Planner, they gathered the volume of online searches for 317 EVs across more than 200 countries and mapped the most popular results in each location.
The Most Googled Electric Vehicles By Country in 2022
Lexus’ first fully electric car, the Lexus RZ, was the most searched-for model in a whopping 47 countries, more than one-fifth of the entire dataset.
The car’s unusual steering—a yoke that isn’t physically connected to the tires—could certainly make it worth a quick Google to see what all the fuss is about.
The Tesla Model 3 came in strong at second place as the top search in 35 countries, with the Kia EV6 ranked third.
Here’s the full database of the most searched for EV in each country, along with the search volume.
Country / Territory | Most-Searched EV | Search Volume |
---|---|---|
🇦🇫 Afghanistan | Lexus RZ | 730 |
🇦🇱 Albania | MG5 EV | 7,590 |
🇩🇿 Algeria | Tesla Model 3 | 9,860 |
🇦🇸 American Samoa | Tesla Model 3 | 100 |
🇦🇩 Andorra | Tesla Model 3 | 930 |
🇦🇴 Angola | Porsche Taycan | 840 |
🇦🇮 Anguilla | Nissan Leaf | 130 |
🇦🇷 Argentina | IVECO eDaily | 63,800 |
🇦🇲 Armenia | Volkswagen ID.4 | 44,720 |
🇦🇺 Australia | Tesla Model 3 | 538,900 |
🇦🇹 Austria | Skoda Enyaq | 220,100 |
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Lexus RZ | 9,600 |
🇧🇸 Bahamas | Tesla Model 3 | 1,210 |
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Lexus RZ | 6,680 |
🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Tesla Model 3 | 10,610 |
🇧🇧 Barbados | Nissan Leaf | 1,040 |
🇧🇾 Belarus | Tesla Model S | 14,480 |
🇧🇪 Belgium | Chery QQ Ice Cream | 304,200 |
🇧🇿 Belize | Lexus RZ | 490 |
🇧🇲 Bermuda | BMW i3 | 620 |
🇧🇯 Benin | VinFast VF 9 | 9,600 |
🇧🇹 Bhutan | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 1,140 |
🇧🇴 Bolivia | Beijing EU5 | 3,800 |
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina | Rimac Nevera | 13,280 |
🇧🇼 Botswana | BMW iX | 730 |
🇧🇷 Brazil | Porsche Taycan | 670,500 |
🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands | Lexus RZ | 140 |
🇧🇳 Brunei | Lexus RZ | 1,880 |
🇧🇬 Bulgaria | BMW i3 | 24,500 |
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | VinFast VF 9 | 5,310 |
🇧🇮 Burundi | VinFast VF 9 | 280 |
🇰🇭 Cambodia | VinFast VF 9 | 7,400 |
🇨🇲 Cameroon | Lexus RZ | 9,920 |
🇨🇦 Canada | Kia EV6 | 916,500 |
🇨🇻 Cape Verde | Mazda MX 30 | 260 |
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | Tesla Model 3 | 470 |
🇨🇫 Central African Republic | Lexus RZ | 120 |
🇹🇩 Chad | VinFast VF 9 | 370 |
🇨🇱 Chile | VinFast VF e34 | 48,300 |
🇨🇳 China | Tesla Model 3 | 10,200 |
🇨🇴 Colombia | Tesla Model S | 56,600 |
🇰🇲 Comoros | Kia EV6 | 100 |
🇨🇰 Cook Islands | Nissan Leaf | 110 |
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | BMW iX | 13,090 |
🇭🇷 Croatia | Rimac Nevera | 60,700 |
🇨🇾 Cyprus | Nissan Leaf | 7,490 |
🇨🇿 Czech Republic | Porsche Taycan | 74,900 |
🇨🇩 DRC | Lexus RZ | 3,140 |
🇩🇰 Denmark | Polestar 2 | 316,500 |
🇩🇯 Djibouti | Tesla Model 3 | 230 |
🇩🇲 Dominica | Lexus RZ | 15,600 |
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | VinFast VF 9 | 15,600 |
🇨🇩 Congo | Lexus RZ | 3,140 |
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | Tesla Model 3 | 120 |
🇪🇨 Ecuador | Chery QQ Ice Cream | 22,000 |
🇪🇬 Egypt | Volkswagen ID.4 | 29,690 |
🇸🇻 El Salvador | Tesla Model 3 | 4,110 |
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | Lexus RZ | 820 |
🇪🇷 Eritrea | Tesla Model 3 | 50 |
🇪🇪 Estonia | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 12,120 |
🇸🇿 Eswatini | BMW iX | 210 |
🇪🇹 Ethiopia | Volkswagen ID.4 | 10,940 |
🇫🇴 Faroe Islands | Kia EV6 | 890 |
🇫🇯 Fiji | Nissan Leaf | 900 |
🇫🇮 Finland | Polestar 2 | 210,900 |
🇫🇷 France | Tesla Model 3 | 1,909,000 |
🇬🇫 French Guiana | Arcfox Alpha-S | 1,030 |
🇵🇫 French Polynesia | Tesla Model 3 | 1,000 |
🇬🇦 Gabon | Lexus RZ | 1,100 |
🇬🇲 Gambia | Lexus RZ | 490 |
🇩🇪 Germany | Tesla Model 3 | 1,954,000 |
🇬🇪 Georgia | VinFast VF 9 | 21,500 |
🇬🇭 Ghana | Lexus RZ | 38,300 |
🇬🇮 Gibraltar | Kia EV6 | 190 |
🇬🇷 Greece | Tesla Model 3 | 90,600 |
🇬🇱 Greenland | Subaru Solterra | 630 |
🇬🇹 Guatemala | Arcfox Alpha-S | 5,660 |
🇬🇺 Guam | Lexus RZ | 1,200 |
🇬🇬 Guernsey | Volkswagen ID.Buzz | 630 |
🇬🇳 Guinea | VinFast VF 9 | 9,600 |
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | Polestar 2 | 130 |
🇬🇾 Guyana | Geometry EX3 | 2,180 |
🇭🇳 Honduras | Tesla Model 3 | 4,350 |
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Tesla Model Y | 122,200 |
🇭🇺 Hungary | BMW i3 | 142,700 |
🇮🇸 Iceland | Kia EV6 | 18,440 |
🇮🇳 India | Tata Nexon | 2,364,000 |
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Wuling Air Ev | 992,120 |
🇮🇶 Iraq | Lexus RZ | 4,530 |
🇮🇷 Iran | BMW iX | 10 |
🇮🇪 Ireland | Kia EV6 | 123,700 |
🇮🇲 Isle of Man | Vauxhall Vivaro | 820 |
🇮🇱 Israel | Aiways U5 | 58,600 |
🇮🇹 Italy | Tesla Model 3 | 911,000 |
🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire | Tesla Model 3 | 2,750 |
🇯🇲 Jamaica | Lexus RZ | 3,360 |
🇯🇵 Japan | Lexus RZ | 190,600 |
🇯🇴 Jordan | Dongfeng EM10 | 46,200 |
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | VinFast VF 9 | 49,000 |
🇰🇪 Kenya | Lexus RZ | 17,700 |
🇽🇰 Kosovo | Porsche Taycan | 4,140 |
🇰🇼 Kuwait | Lexus RZ | 10,170 |
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | Lexus RZ | 9,270 |
🇱🇦 Laos | Tesla Model 3 | 2,110 |
🇱🇻 Latvia | Nissan Leaf | 10,960 |
🇱🇧 Lebanon | Volkswagen ID.4 | 14,380 |
🇱🇸 Lesotho | Tesla Model X | 220 |
🇱🇷 Liberia | Lexus RZ | 340 |
🇱🇾 Libya | Lexus RZ | 600 |
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 870 |
🇱🇹 Lithuania | Nissan Leaf | 24,000 |
🇱🇺 Luxembourg | Kia EV6 | 13,620 |
🇲🇴 Macao | Tesla Model Y | 1,500 |
🇲🇬 Madagascar | IVECO eDaily | 480 |
🇲🇼 Malawi | Beijing EU7 | 450 |
🇲🇱 Mali | VinFast VF 9 | 1,020 |
🇲🇾 Malaysia | BMW iX | 167,300 |
🇲🇻 Maldives | Tesla Model 3 | 910 |
🇲🇹 Malta | Honda E | 5,090 |
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | Ford F-150 Lightning | 80 |
🇲🇷 Mauritania | Lexus RZ | 570 |
🇲🇺 Mauritius | Kia EV6 | 25,160 |
🇲🇽 Mexico | Tesla Model 3 | 375,500 |
🇲🇩 Moldova | BMW iX | 8,520 |
🇲🇨 Monaco | Tesla Model 3 | 470 |
🇲🇳 Mongolia | Lexus RZ | 6,530 |
🇲🇪 Montenegro | Rimac Nevera | 3,010 |
🇲🇦 Morocco | Tesla Model 3 | 15,780 |
🇲🇿 Mozambique | Lexus RZ | 900 |
🇲🇲 Myanmar | Lexus RZ | 3,860 |
🇳🇦 Namibia | Nissan Leaf | 1,100 |
🇳🇷 Nauru | Lexus RZ | 70 |
🇳🇵 Nepal | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 18,910 |
🇳🇱 Netherlands | Kia EV6 | 764,000 |
🇳🇨 New Caledonia | Kia EV6 | 980 |
🇳🇿 New Zealand | Nissan Leaf | 80,400 |
🇳🇮 Nicaragua | Tesla Model S | 2,010 |
🇳🇪 Niger | VinFast VF 9 | 1,960 |
🇳🇬 Nigeria | Lexus RZ | 328,500 |
🇲🇰 North Macedonia | Rimac Nevera | 4,850 |
🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 180 |
🇳🇴 Norway | Tesla Model Y | 388,600 |
🇴🇲 Oman | Lexus RZ | 7,950 |
🇵🇰 Pakistan | Audi e-tron GT | 28,100 |
🇵🇼 Palau | Tesla Model X | 120 |
🇵🇸 Palestine | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 1,390 |
🇵🇦 Panama | Lexus RZ | 5,510 |
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | Lexus RZ | 290 |
🇵🇾 Paraguay | Tesla Model 3 | 10,050 |
🇵🇪 Peru | Tesla Model S | 26,200 |
🇵🇭 Philippines | Tesla Model S | 64,000 |
🇵🇱 Poland | IVECO eDaily | 281,100 |
🇵🇹 Portugal | Kia EV6 | 199,400 |
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 17,160 |
🇷🇴 Romania | Arcfox Alpha-S | 174,600 |
🇷🇼 Rwanda | Beijing EU5 | 480 |
🇧🇱 Saint Barthelemy | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 50 |
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis | Lexus RZ | 170 |
🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | Lexus RZ | 1,030 |
🇲🇫 Saint Martin | Tesla Model Y | 60 |
🇵🇲 Saint Pierre & Miquelon | Tesla Model 3 | 90 |
🇼🇸 Samoa | Tesla Model X | 120 |
🇸🇲 San Marino | Tesla Model 3 | 410 |
🇸🇹 Sao Tome & Principe | Kia EV6 | 100 |
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Lexus RZ | 35,900 |
🇷🇸 Serbia | Rimac Nevera | 27,000 |
🇸🇳 Senegal | Arcfox Alpha-S | 1,710 |
🇸🇨 Seychelles | Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 490 |
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | Lexus RZ | 920 |
🇸🇬 Singapore | BYD e6 | 57,000 |
🇸🇰 Slovakia | Kia EV6 | 60,400 |
🇸🇮 Slovenia | BMW i4 | 15,960 |
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | Tesla Model 3 | 90 |
🇸🇴 Somalia | Arcfox Alpha-S | 490 |
🇿🇦 South Africa | BMW iX | 106,800 |
🇰🇷 South Korea | BMW i4 | 99,200 |
🇪🇸 Spain | Tesla Model 3 | 816,122 |
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Geometry EX3 | 37,100 |
🇸🇩 North Sudan | Tesla Model X | 520 |
🇸🇸 South Sudan | Arcfox Alpha-S | 10 |
🇸🇷 Suriname | Lexus RZ | 2,340 |
🇸🇪 Sweden | Kia EV6 | 499,000 |
🇨🇭 Switzerland | Tesla Model 3 | 201,300 |
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Chery QQ Ice Cream | 208,200 |
🇹🇯 Tajikistan | Lexus RZ | 4,380 |
🇹🇿 Tanzania | Lexus RZ | 3,080 |
🇹🇭 Thailand | Ora Good Cat | 573,100 |
🇹🇬 Togo | Lexus RZ | 2,520 |
🇹🇴 Tonga | Tesla Model S | 80 |
🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | Nissan Leaf | 5,010 |
🇹🇳 Tunisia | Sono Motors Sion | 7,620 |
🇹🇷 Turkey | Porsche Taycan | 434,200 |
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | Lexus RZ | 7,360 |
🇹🇻 Tuvalu | Tesla Model S | 20 |
🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands | Lexus RZ | 630 |
🇺🇬 Uganda | Lexus RZ | 3,340 |
🇦🇪 UAE | Volkswagen ID.4 | 114,920 |
🇬🇧 UK | Tesla Model 3 | 1,258,500 |
🇺🇾 Uruguay | BYD e2 | 19,620 |
🇺🇸 U.S. | Tesla Model 3 | 6,855,000 |
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Tesla Model 3 | 26,300 |
🇻🇺 Vanuatu | Tesla Model 3 | 100 |
🇻🇪 Venezuela | Tesla Model S | 10,190 |
🇻🇳 Vietnam | Lexus RZ | 204,800 |
🇼🇫 Wallis & Futuna | Kia EV6 | 60 |
🇪🇭 Western Sahara | Tesla Model S | 180 |
🇾🇪 Yemen | Lexus RZ | 590 |
🇿🇲 Zambia | VinFast VF 9 | 2,360 |
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | Beijing EU7 | 2,700 |
Aside from popular global brands, GRIDSERVE’s database also highlights regional automakers. For example, Croatian manufacturer Rimac Automobili’s Nevera was the most highly searched-for electric vehicle in multiple Balkan countries. In India, the country’s own Tata Nexon dominated search volume.
And Vietnamese brand VinFast’s electric vehicles were the top EVs of interest in neighboring Cambodia and 12 other countries across the world (though not Vietnam itself, which searched more for the Lexus RZ).
In China, where Google isn’t the most-used search engine, results favored the Tesla Model 3. But Tesla was distinctly outsold by Chinese automaker BYD in 2022.
It’s also worth noting that most of the top searches were for a sedan or crossover SUV, but not all. In the British crown dependencies Guernsey and Isle of Man, the most searched EVs were an electric minivan (Guernsey) and van (Isle of Man).
The Most Googled Electric Vehicle In the U.S.
In the U.S., the Tesla Model 3 was the most searched-for electric vehicle in 2022. Breaking down results by states highlights its massive local footprint:
The Tesla tide across the map is unsurprising, given its aggressive market entry and role in popularizing EVs in the country. But as new entries continue to chip away at the market, warnings around Tesla’s projected decline in market share have begun to spring up.
Of the nine states that searched more for other electric vehicle makers, six of them were for foreign manufacturers Hyundai and Kia and three of them preferred U.S. carmakers Rivian and Cadillac.
The Most Searched-For Electric Vehicle By Search Volume
Tesla’s popularity in countries like the U.S., Germany, and France helps gave it the most searched-for electric vehicle by sheer volume, despite Lexus winning first place in more locations.
Here are the top 10 most searched for electric vehicles by total volume in 2022:
Electric Vehicle | Google Search Volume (2022) |
---|---|
Tesla Model 3 | 19,989,872 |
Kia EV6 | 15,815,185 |
Tesla Model Y | 13,908,451 |
Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 12,689,787 |
Tesla Model S | 11,459,099 |
Porsche Taycan | 10,511,286 |
Tesla Model X | 9,535,778 |
Polestar 2 | 8,212,142 |
Lexus RZ | 7,186,840 |
BMW i4 | 7,063,510 |
The Model 3’s sheer popularity put it in first place. The company’s Model Y and Model S were also in the top five, where they were joined by the Korean-made Kia EV6 and Hyundai IONIQ 5.
The Lexus RZ, by contrast, ranked as the 9th-most-popular electric vehicle by search volume. It had less than half of the Model 3’s search volume and was also behind the Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model X, and Polestar 2.
-
VC+1 week ago
What’s New on VC+ in September
-
Markets3 weeks ago
The 25 Best Stocks by Shareholder Wealth Creation (1926-2022)
-
Brands7 days ago
Ranked: The 20 Best Franchises to Open in the U.S.
-
Money3 weeks ago
How Much Does it Take to Be Wealthy in America?
-
Markets6 days ago
Ranked: The Highest Paid CEOs in the S&P 500
-
Retail2 weeks ago
Visualizing the Number of Costco Stores, by Country
-
Markets5 days ago
Charted: Market Volatility at its Lowest Point Since 2020
-
Culture2 weeks ago
Ranked: Which Countries Drink the Most Beer?