Oil prices are set for a fourth straight monthly gain as conflict around the Strait of Hormuz keeps energy costs elevated and supply routes at risk. Expensive fuel can sharpen the financial appeal of electric and self driving transport, especially for businesses watching every dollar of running cost. This article breaks down three stocks linked to this shift and explains how they plug into the wider move toward cleaner, smarter vehicles.
The stocks covered below are just a first cut, and the broader screen surfaced 22 more companies with equally compelling electric and autonomous vehicle stories that are not discussed here. To identify your own highest conviction candidates, head straight to the Electric/ Autonomous Vehicle Stocks screener to analyze, compare and refine your shortlist.
Applied Aerospace & Defense (AADX)
Applied Aerospace & Defense plugs into the electric and autonomous vehicle theme through its hardware for unmanned combat and airborne platforms. This provides exposure to autonomous flight systems within a broader space and defense manufacturing business that still leans heavily on traditional aerospace work.
Applied Aerospace & Defense generates about US$576 million from aerospace and defense hardware in the United States, with most activity anchored in space systems, crewed aviation and precision strike programs, and carries a market value of roughly US$1.9b.
"Contract backlog of over US$1.1b, which management views as roughly a 12 to 18 month revenue line of sight, supports potential revenue durability and can help smooth working capital deployment as orders convert to sales."
What really matters next is how one unresolved cost pressure filters through that backlog into future margins as autonomous programs scale.
To see how that cost question plays out across contracts, funding cycles and capital needs, read the full narrative for Applied Aerospace & Defense for what might be accelerating or quietly capping Applied Aerospace & Defense’s upside.
EnerSys (ENS)
EnerSys ties into the electric and autonomous vehicle story through its Industrial Mobility Solutions arm, which powers electric forklifts and Class 8 trucks. The wider group supplies stored energy systems across telecom, data centers, utilities, transportation and defense, and carries a market value of about US$6.2b.
For investors tracking how the electric vehicle theme ripples beyond passenger cars, EnerSys offers a way to follow the batteries and power systems that keep industrial fleets moving and critical equipment running when the grid looks less than certain.
"Ongoing growth in AI driven data center loads and concerns about grid reliability are supporting increased adoption of EnerSys backup and energy storage systems, which can add to revenue and support earnings as more of the installed base enters replacement cycles."
One key effort to expand higher value power platforms could shift earnings quality in ways that are not immediately evident from headline growth.
That shift in earnings mix is the real story, and the full narrative for EnerSys shows where EnerSys cash flows could be accelerating, separating headline growth from profit quality.
Hesai Group (HSAI)
Hesai Group sits right in the hardware layer of autonomous and electric transport, supplying LiDAR sensors that help vehicles and robots see their surroundings with enough detail for advanced driver assistance and full self driving trials.
Hesai Group builds LiDAR sensors and related services for ADAS passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and robotics, with revenue primarily from Mainland China at about CN¥2.5b, alongside CN¥591 million from North America and CN¥143 million from Europe. The company carries a market value near US$2.2b.
"In 2025, Hesai generated $432.9 million in revenue, up 45.8% year-over-year, while delivering $62 million in GAAP net income."
What happens to that profitability profile if one fast moving demand driver in autonomous perception shifts direction faster than expected?
That turning point is exactly where the full narrative for Hesai Group maps how demand swings, pricing power and competitive pressure could be accelerating or masking Hesai Group’s long term earnings potential.
Seeking Alternatives Before The Crowd?
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