Notes From All Over, Part 2 -- January 29, 2021

EV charging stations: in the top 20 list below, three of the top 20 --

• BP
• Shell
• Total

EV charging stations: here are the top 20 companies that make charging stations:

https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2019/05/01/top-20-electric-vehicle-charging-station-companies/22138/

• ChargePoint: claims to have world's largest network; in 2017, it took over GE's 10,000 charging stations;
  
• ABB: robotic company; not yet a big deal but has just partnered with Porsche;
  
• BP: probably more interested in EV than in oil and gas; largest provider of EVCPs in UK through its ChargeMaster subsidiary; recently invested in Chinese EVCP provider called PowerShare;
  
• Shell: acquired GreenLots this past year; in 2017, acquired EVCP specialist NewMotion, with more than 30,000 points across Europe;
  
• Webasto: among the world's top 100 suppliers to the automotive industry;
  
• Hyundai: need I say more? Has partnered with Kia for wireless EVCPs
  
• RWE: just partnered with Daimler which shows up next on the list
  
• Daimler Mercedes-Benz: need I say more? Will probably emerge as the #1 EV truck manufacturer;
  
• Siemens: household name;
  
• EVgo: claims the largest network of public EV fast-charging stations in the US; recently partnered with ABB to establish the first "high-power" fast charging station in Fremont, CA; ABB -- which, by the way, is #2 on the list -- and then there's Porsche --
• EVBox: operates world's largest network of charging points, with approximately 60,00 installed across the globe;
• G2Mobility: Total acquired this company last year at about the same time Total bought clean energy supplier Direct Energie for $1.7 billion;
  
• PG&E: yes, that PG&E
• Blink
• Renault
• Phihong: this is the real sleeper; watch for it to be acquired, probably by XOM; certified for the North American market, Phihong's EV charger is said to be suitable for locations such as residential, parking lot, gas or service stations, as well as commercial fleet operators;
  
• Schneider Electric
• Efacec
• Eagon
• Ample: has caught the attention of #3 above (Shell)

Silver: since age 18, I have bought silver dollars. Probably the worst way to "invest" in silver. I wasn't investing. 

I was buying stuff for the great-grandchildren. For my entire life through about age 50 years of age, I was buying silver coins for about $14/coin. And these were nice coins. Then, somewhere between 50 years of age and 65 years of age, the price seemed to be in the $24/coin price range. Now, just in the last year, silver dollars have jumped from $24/coin to $50/coin. Today, I see there is some action in silver similar to what is going on in GME. This should be quite exciting. Macrotrends here.

Silver dollars: worst way to "invest" in silver. LOL.

The great-grandchildren will not care one iota how much I paid for each silver dollar. They're just going to have loads of fun playing pirates in elementary school bringing in their chests of silver coins. LOL

Connecting the dots:

• Quick! Name the company most interested in EVs. Of course there are a gazillion such companies. But among the top twenty: AAPL. Decades ago, Steve Jobs said the "only" thing holding Apple back from reaching its full potential was battery technology
• Quick! Name the car company with whom Apple has partnered to start producing EVs as early as 2024
• Quick! without looking, name the #6 company in the charging station business