Technology
The World’s Top Car Manufacturers by Market Capitalization
View the full-resolution version of this infographic
The World’s Top Car Manufacturers by Market Cap
View the high-resolution of the infographic by clicking here.
Ever since Apple and other Big Tech companies hit a market capitalization of $1 trillion, many sectors are revving to follow suit—including the automotive industry.
But among those car brands racing to reach this total valuation, some are closer to the finish line than others. This visualization uses data from Yahoo Finance to rank the world’s top car manufacturers by market capitalization.
What could this spell for the future of the automotive industry?
A special hat-tip to Brandon Knoblauch for compiling the original, regularly-updated spreadsheet.
The World’s Top Car Manufacturers
It’s clear one company is pulling far ahead of the pack. In the competition to clinch this coveted title, Tesla is the undoubted favorite so far.
The electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy company first became the world’s most valuable car manufacturer in June 2020, and shows no signs of slowing its trajectory.
| Rank | Company | Market Cap (US$B) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tesla | $795.8 | 🇺🇸 U.S. |
| #2 | Toyota | $207.5 | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| #3 | Volkswagen | $96.7 | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| #4 | BYD | $92.7 | 🇨🇳 China |
| #5 | NIO | $89.5 | 🇨🇳 China |
| #6 | Daimler | $72.8 | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| #7 | General Motors | $71.3 | 🇺🇸 U.S. |
| #8 | BMW | $54.2 | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| #9 | Stellantis | $54.2 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| #10 | Ferrari | $52.5 | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| #11 | Honda | $46.9 | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| #12 | Hyundai | $46.8 | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
| #13 | SAIC | $45.2 | 🇨🇳 China |
| #14 | Geely | $39.5 | 🇨🇳 China |
| #15 | Ford | $39.4 | 🇺🇸 U.S. |
| #16 | Xpeng | $33.9 | 🇨🇳 China |
| #17 | Maruti Suzuki | $33.1 | 🇮🇳 India |
| #18 | Li Auto | $29.5 | 🇨🇳 China |
| #19 | Suzuki | $23.7 | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| #20 | Nissan | $20.1 | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| #21 | Subaru | $15.2 | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| #22 | Changan | $14.6 | 🇨🇳 China |
| #23 | Mahindra | $13.9 | 🇮🇳 India |
| #24 | Renault | $12.0 | 🇫🇷 France |
All data as of January 15, 2021 (9:30AM PST)
Tesla’s competitive advantage comes as a result of its dedicated emphasis on research and development (R&D). In fact, many of its rivals have admitted that Tesla’s electronics far surpass their own—a teardown revealed that its batteries and AI chips are roughly six years ahead of other industry giants such as Toyota and Volkswagen.
The Green Revolution is Underway
The sheer growth of Tesla may spell the inevitability of a green revolution in the industry. Already, many major brands have followed in the company’s tracks, announcing their own ambitious plans to add more EVs to their vehicle line-ups.
Here’s how a selection of car manufacturers are embracing the electric future:
Toyota: Ranked #2
The second-most valuable car manufacturer in the world, Toyota is steadily ramping up its EV output. In 2020, it produced 10,000 EVs and plans to increase this to 30,000 in 2021.
Through this gradual increase, the company hopes to hit an expected target of 500,000 EVs by 2025. Toyota also aims to debut 10 new models internationally to achieve this goal.
Volkswagen: Ranked #3
By 2025, Volkswagen plans to invest $86 billion into digital and EV technologies. Considering the car manufacturer generates the most gross revenue per second of all automakers, it’s no wonder Volkswagen is looking to the future in order to keep such numbers up.
The company is also well-positioned to ride the wave of a potential consumer shift towards EVs in Europe. In response to the region’s strict emissions targets, Volkswagen upped its planned sales proportions for European hybrid and EV sales from 40% to 60% by 2030.
BYD and Nio: Ranked #4-5
China jumped on the electric bandwagon early. Eager to make its mark as a global leader in the emerging technology of lithium ion batteries (an essential component of any EV), the Chinese government handed out billions of dollars in subsidies—fueling the growths of domestic car manufacturers BYD and Nio alike.
BYD gained the interest and attention of its billionaire backer Warren Buffett, while Nio is China’s response to Tesla and an attempt to capture the EV market locally.
General Motors: Ranked #7
Also with a 2025 target year in mind, General Motors is investing $27 billion into electric and fully autonomous vehicles. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, too—the company also hopes to launch 30 new fully electric vehicles by the same year.
One particular factor is giving GM confidence: its new EV battery creations. They will be able to extend the range of its new EVs to 400 miles (644km) on a single charge, at a rate that rivals Tesla’s Model S.
Stellantis: Ranked #9
In a long-anticipated move, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot S.A. finalized their merger into Stellantis N.V. on January 16, 2021.
With the combined forces and funds of a $52 billion deal, the new Dutch-based car manufacturer hopes to rival bigger brands and race even more quickly towards the electric shift.
Honda: Ranked #11
Speaking of fast-paced races, Honda has decided to bow out of future Formula One (F1) World Championships. As these competitions were usually a way for the company to show off its engineering prowess, the move was a surprising one.
However, there’s a noble reason behind this decision. Honda is choosing instead to focus on its commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050. To do so, it’ll be shifting its financial resources away from F1 and towards R&D into fuel cell vehicle (FCV) and battery EV (BEV) technologies.
Ford: Ranked #15
Ford knows exactly what its fans want. In that regard, its electrification plans begin with its most popular commercial cars, such as the Mustang Mach-E SUV. This is Ford’s major strategy for attracting new EV buyers, part of a larger $11.5 billion investment agenda into EVs through 2022.
While the car’s specs compare to Tesla’s Model Y, its engineers also drew from the iPhone and Netflix to incorporate an infotainment system and driver profiles to create a truly tech-first specimen.
Speeding into the Horizon
As more and more companies enter the racetrack, EV innovation across the entire industry may power the move to lower overall costs, extend the total range of vehicles, and put any other concerns by potential buyers to rest.
While Tesla is currently in the best position to become the first car manufacturer to reach the $1 trillion milestone, how long will it be for the others to catch up?
Technology
Every Mission to Mars in One Visualization
This graphic shows a timeline of every mission to Mars since 1960, highlighting which ones have been successful and which ones haven’t.
Creator Program
Timeline: A Historical Look at Every Mission to Mars
Within our Solar System, Mars is one of the most similar planets to Earth—both have rocky landscapes, solid outer crusts, and cores made of molten rock.
Because of its similarities to Earth and proximity, humanity has been fascinated by Mars for centuries. In fact, it’s one of the most explored objects in our Solar System.
But just how many missions to Mars have we embarked on, and which of these journeys have been successful? This graphic by Jonathan Letourneau shows a timeline of every mission to Mars since 1960 using NASA’s historical data.
A Timeline of Mars Explorations
According to a historical log from NASA, there have been 48 missions to Mars over the last 60 years. Here’s a breakdown of each mission, and whether or not they were successful:
| # | Launch | Name | Country | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1960 | Korabl 4 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
| 2 | 1960 | Korabl 5 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
| 3 | 1962 | Korabl 11 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
| 4 | 1962 | Mars 1 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
| 5 | 1962 | Korabl 13 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
| 6 | 1964 | Mariner 3 | US (flyby) | Failure |
| 7 | 1964 | Mariner 4 | US (flyby) | Success |
| 8 | 1964 | Zond 2 | USSR (flyby) | Failure |
| 9 | 1969 | Mars 1969A | USSR | Failure |
| 10 | 1969 | Mars 1969B | USSR | Failure |
| 11 | 1969 | Mariner 6 | US (flyby) | Success |
| 12 | 1969 | Mariner 7 | US (flyby) | Success |
| 13 | 1971 | Mariner 8 | US | Failure |
| 14 | 1971 | Kosmos 419 | USSR | Failure |
| 15 | 1971 | Mars 2 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Failure |
| 16 | 1971 | Mars 3 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Success/Failure |
| 17 | 1971 | Mariner 9 | US | Success |
| 18 | 1973 | Mars 4 | USSR | Failure |
| 19 | 1973 | Mars 5 | USSR | Success |
| 20 | 1973 | Mars 6 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Success/Failure |
| 21 | 1973 | Mars 7 Lander | USSR | Failure |
| 22 | 1975 | Viking 1 Orbiter/Lander | US | Success |
| 23 | 1975 | Viking 2 Orbiter/Lander | US | Success |
| 24 | 1988 | Phobos 1 Orbiter | USSR | Failure |
| 25 | 1988 | Phobos 2 Orbiter/Lander | USSR | Failure |
| 26 | 1992 | Mars Observer | US | Failure |
| 27 | 1996 | Mars Global Surveyor | US | Success |
| 28 | 1996 | Mars 96 | Russia | Failure |
| 29 | 1996 | Mars Pathfinder | US | Success |
| 30 | 1998 | Nozomi | Japan | Failure |
| 31 | 1998 | Mars Climate Orbiter | US | Failure |
| 32 | 1999 | Mars Polar Lander | US | Failure |
| 33 | 1999 | Deep Space 2 Probes (2) | US | Failure |
| 34 | 2001 | Mars Odyssey | US | Success |
| 35 | 2003 | Mars Express Orbiter/Beagle 2 Lander | ESA | Success/Failure |
| 36 | 2003 | Mars Exploration Rover - Spirit | US | Success |
| 37 | 2003 | Mars Exploration Rover - Opportunity | US | Success |
| 38 | 2005 | Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter | US | Success |
| 39 | 2007 | Phoenix Mars Lander | US | Success |
| 40 | 2011 | Mars Science Laboratory | US | Success |
| 41 | 2011 | Phobos-Grunt/Yinghuo-1 | Russia/China | Failure |
| 42 | 2013 | Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution | US | Success |
| 43 | 2013 | Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) | India | Success |
| 44 | 2016 | ExoMars Orbiter/Schiaparelli EDL Demo Lander | ESA/Russia | Success/Failure |
| 45 | 2018 | Mars InSight Lander | US | Success |
| 46 | 2020 | Hope Orbiter | UAE | Success |
| 47 | 2020 | Tianwen-1 Orbiter/Zhurong Rover | China | Success |
| 48 | 2020 | Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover | US | Success |
The first mission to Mars was attempted by the Soviets in 1960, with the launch of Korabl 4, also known as Mars 1960A.
As the table above shows, the voyage was unsuccessful. The spacecraft made it 120 km into the air, but its third-stage pumps didn’t generate enough momentum for it to stay in Earth’s orbit.
For the next few years, several more unsuccessful Mars missions were attempted by the USSR and then NASA. Then, in 1964, history was made when NASA launched the Mariner 4 and completed the first-ever successful trip to Mars.
The Mariner 4 didn’t actually land on the planet, but the spacecraft flew by Mars and was able to capture photos, which gave us an up-close glimpse at the planet’s rocky surface.
Then on July 20, 1976, NASA made history again when its spacecraft called Viking 1 touched down on Mars’ surface, making it the first space agency to complete a successful Mars landing. Viking 1 captured panoramic images of the planet’s terrain, and also enabled scientists to monitor the planet’s weather.
Vacation to Mars, Anyone?
To date, all Mars landings have been done without crews, but NASA is planning to send humans to Mars by the late 2030s.
And it’s not just government agencies that are planning missions to Mars—a number of private companies are getting involved, too. Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX has a long-term plan to build an entire city on Mars.
Two other aerospace startups, Impulse and Relativity, also announced an unmanned joint mission to Mars in July 2022, with hopes it could be ready as soon as 2024.
As more players are added to the mix, the pressure is on to be the first company or agency to truly make it to Mars. If (or when) we reach that point, what’s next is anyone’s guess.
Technology
Thematic Investing: 3 Key Trends in Cybersecurity
Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. Here’s what investors need to know about the future of cybersecurity.
Thematic Investing: 3 Key Trends in Cybersecurity
In 2020, the global cost of cybercrime was estimated to be around $945 billion, according to McAfee.
It’s likely even higher today, as multiple sources have recorded an increase in the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks during the pandemic.
In this infographic from Global X ETFs, we highlight three major trends that are shaping the future of the cybersecurity industry that investors need to know.
Trend 1: Increasing Costs
Research from IBM determined that the average data breach cost businesses $4.2 million in 2021, up from $3.6 million in 2017. The following table breaks this figure into four components:
| Cost Component | Value ($) |
|---|---|
| Cost of lost business | $1.6M |
| Detection and escalation | $1.2M |
| Post breach response | $1.1M |
| Notification | $0.3M |
| Total | $4.2M |
The greatest cost of a data breach is lost business, which results from system downtimes, reputational losses, and lost customers. Second is detection and escalation, including investigative activities, audit services, and communications to stakeholders.
Post breach response includes costs such as legal expenditures, issuing new accounts or credit cards (in the case of financial institutions), and other monitoring services. Lastly, notification refers to the cost of notifying regulators, stakeholders, and other third parties.
To stay ahead of these rising costs, businesses are placing more emphasis on cybersecurity. For example, Microsoft announced in September 2021 that it would quadruple its cybersecurity investments to $20 billion over the next five years.
Trend 2: Remote Work Opens New Vulnerabilities
According to IBM, companies that rely more on remote work experience greater losses from data breaches. For companies where 81 to 100% of employees were remote, the average cost of a data breach was $5.5 million (2021). This dropped to $3.7 million for companies that had under 10% of employees working from home.
A major reason for this gap is that work-from-home setups are typically less secure. Phishing attacks surged in 2021, taking advantage of the fact that many employees access corporate systems through their personal devices.
| Type of Attack | Number of attacks in 2020 | Number of attacks in 2021 | Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spam phishing | 1.5M | 10.1M | +573% |
| Credential phishing | 5.5M | 6.2M | +13% |
As detected by Trend Micro’s Cloud App Security.
Spam phishing refers to “fake” emails that trick users by impersonating company management. They can include malicious links that download ransomware onto the users device. Credential phishing is similar in concept, though the goal is to steal a person’s account credentials.
A tactic you may have seen before is the Amazon scam, where senders impersonate Amazon and convince users to update their payment methods. This strategy could also be used to gain access to a company’s internal systems.
Trend 3: AI Can Reduce the Cost of a Data Breach
AI-based cybersecurity can detect and respond to cyberattacks without any human intervention. When fully deployed, IBM measured a 20% reduction in the time it takes to identify and contain a breach. It also resulted in cost savings upwards of 60%.
A prominent user of AI-based cybersecurity is Google, which uses machine learning to detect phishing attacks within Gmail.
Machine learning helps Gmail block spam and phishing messages from showing up in your inbox with over 99.9% accuracy. This is huge, given that 50-70% of messages that Gmail receives are spam.
– Andy Wen, Google
As cybercrime escalates, Acumen Research and Consulting believes the market for AI-based security solutions will reach $134 billion by 2030, up from $15 billion in 2021.
Introducing the Global X Cybersecurity ETF
The Global X Cybersecurity ETF (Ticker: BUG) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Cybersecurity Index. See below for industry and country-level breakdowns, as of June 2022.
| Sector (By security type) | Weight |
|---|---|
| Cloud | 28.0% |
| Network | 25.1% |
| Identity | 17.7% |
| Internet | 15.0% |
| Endpoint | 12.8% |
| Country | Weight |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 U.S. | 71.6% |
| 🇮🇱 Israel | 13.2% |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 8.2% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 5.5% |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 0.9% |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 0.6% |
Totals may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Investors can use this passively managed solution to gain exposure to the rising adoption of cybersecurity technologies.
-
Misc16 hours agoBrand Loyalty is Declining for Most Luxury Automakers
Brand loyalty has declined for most luxury automakers, but three brands—Tesla, Maserati, and Genesis—appear to have bucked the trend.
-
Demographics2 days agoRanked: The Most and Least Livable Cities in 2022
Which cities rank as the best places to live worldwide? This map reveals the world’s most and least livable cities.
-
Markets3 days agoVisualizing Major Layoffs At U.S. Corporations
This infographic highlights the accelerating pace of layoffs so far in 2022, as businesses cut costs ahead of a potential recession.
-
Energy4 days agoVisualizing 10 Years of Global EV Sales by Country
Global EV sales have grown exponentially, more than doubling in 2021 to 6.8 million units. Here’s a look at EV sales by country since 2011.
-
Science1 week agoVisualizing the Relationship Between Cancer and Lifespan
New research links mutation rates and lifespan. We visualize the data supporting this new framework for understanding cancer.
-
Energy1 week agoWhich Countries Produce the Most Natural Gas?
Natural gas prices have risen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This visualization highlights the world’s largest natural gas producers.
-
Demographics3 weeks agoRanked: The 20 Countries With the Fastest Declining Populations
-
Misc1 week agoVisualizing Which Countries Drink the Most Beer
-
Energy2 weeks agoVisualizing the World’s Largest Oil Producers
-
Personal Finance2 weeks agoMapped: The Salary You Need to Buy a Home in 50 U.S. Cities
-
Energy1 week ago
Which Countries Produce the Most Natural Gas?
-
Agriculture3 weeks agoTimeline: The Domestication of Animals
-
Business3 weeks agoRanked: The World’s Largest Container Shipping Companies
-
Energy4 weeks agoVisualized: Battery Vs. Hydrogen Fuel Cell