With Apple reportedly out of the electric car game and Tesla losing market share in some Chinese cities, the best EV stock plays are arguably now all based in China. Li Auto 's market share waned, and Morgan Stanley analysts are watching whether there will be a boost from new models. "Following our upgrade earlier this month, Li Auto delivered impressive earnings/guidance, further cementing its position as a top-tier China OEM," Deutsche Bank analysts said in a late February report. Li Auto management said they expect gross margin to fluctuate between 10% and 25%, but generally remain above 20%. But even with its premium pricing the company isn't immune from intense competition in China's electric car market.

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Persons: Morgan Stanley, Nio, BYD, Li Auto, Li, Li Auto's, Weibing Lu, Xi Jinping, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Apple, Friday, China, Deutsche Bank, Li Auto, Bank of America Securities, Huawei, Forseven, CYVN Holdings Locations: China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, U.S, Europe, Japan, East, Central Asia, Abu Dhabi, Norway