Why do we love our cats, and what does it mean for our health?

Why do we love our cats, and what does it mean for our health?

There are some 85 million cats in American households, many of which are cherished family members. What is behind felines’ appeal to humans? Could it be their apparently choosy nature? And what is their effect on human health? This Special Feature investigates.

smiling person cuddling a fluffy catShare on Pinterest
Why are you so attached to your cat, and what might this mean for your health? Image credit: Aleksei Toropov/Stocksy.

When people say they love cats, that love can be intense. For many, a feline friend is a singularly trustworthy confidant and a comforting presence in times of loneliness.

Are such close relationships, however, healthy on a psychological or physical level?

Geneticists, infectious disease experts, psychologists, and others have put forward several theories as to why cats resonate so strongly with some people, and what effect felines may have on their humans’ health.

According to DNA analyses, the ancestor of today’s domestic cat was the African wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica, living in the Fertile Crescent, the intersection of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Levant, and Persia.

While it appears likely our connection with felines began about 9,500 years ago in the Near East, the earliest evidence of a mutual relationship between cats and humans dates to 5,300 years ago in the agricultural village of Quanhucun, China.

Egyptians famously believed that their feline companions embodied divine energy.

Dr. Eva-Maria Geigl is the French National Centre for Scientific Research Director CNRS at the Institut Jacques Monod Epigenomics and Paleogenomics group in Paris, France. She told Medical News Today:

“Cats were domesticated as commensals: They approached human settlements because there was food — concentrated rodents thriving on grain accumulations. They adapted to this specific human environment, which represented an evolutionary advantage for them. Humans had a real interest to have cats around. They were just happy with the cats feasting on the rodents that destroyed their cereals.”

One study found that there were at least 13 feline genes that signaled cats’ transition “from feral to friendly.” The genes relate to cognition and behavior, and may have strengthened felines’ ability to learn based on food rewards, and to feel less fearful of people.

The widespread geographic proliferation of cats probably occurred during the Middle Ages, according to a study for which Dr. Geigl was the principal investigator.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that there are about 85 million cats living in the U.S. There are also about 70 million unowned wild and feral cats in America.

Dr. Patricia Pendry of Washington State University studies human-animal interactions. She has published research describing the especially strong bond between highly emotional people and their cats.

Dr. Pendry speculated to MNT that felines’ discriminating behavior may be irresistible to humans:

“The subtle and somewhat unpredictable responses cats give us, give us the perception that we are chosen — or perceived as ‘special’ when a response from a cat does occur. I also believe that because the response tends to take a little bit more time to emerge, we are captivated by a desire to know what the cat will do.”

“And because the nature and timing of their actions are less predictable, we may remain captivated, almost in an addictive kind of way — you can’t rip yourself away because that purr, that special rub may be just around the corner,” said Dr. Pendry.

It is also possible, some research suggests, that we cannot help but find felines to be cute due to features they share with human babies. We instinctively respond to the large eyes and playful behavior, an evolutionarily beneficial response that has helped ensure we care for our young.

No discussion of cats’ appeal can exclude mention of their often hilarious comedic prowess. Kittens, especially, invest unbridled energy — and much less planning — into their play. Mature cats can be just as entertainingly ridiculous.

Sometimes it is high-speed hijinks, and other times it is endearingly weird — is there some reason there are nine hair ties hidden under one’s office rug?

Cats have an undeserved reputation for being mysterious and aloof due to the unique and sometimes subtle ways in which they express their feelings.

A cat’s face may seem attractive — or grumpy, as the case may be — but it is actually fixed and largely expressionless. Nor do their tails wag to signal excitement or pleasure. Recent research suggests their dispositions may nonetheless be closer to eager-to-please dogs than many realize.

Likewise, cat vocalizations, of which there are many, range from meows to hisses, to nick-nack-ing at birds through a window, to the blood-curdling, deep yowls that presage a fight.

Some vocalizations are clearly meant to communicate with humans — say, meowing at breakfast time. However, cats mostly seem to “talk” or mutter to themselves.

Even so, felines have plenty of ways to signal their feelings through other behaviors.

Head-bumping and marking

For people they care for or in whom they are interested, cats will often offer to head-bump outstretched fingers or a pant leg. This behavior is known as “bunting” and it accomplishes two things.

First, they are leaving behind pheromones secreted from cheek glands, marking you as theirs. Second, particularly in the case of pant legs, they are gathering olfactory intel regarding your interactions with other animals if they find you worthy of investigation.

Purrs

People often assume that a purr is a sure sign of pure happiness, but it is not. Cats in distress may also purr. Some experts suggest a cat may deploy the soothing sound to comfort themselves in difficult moments.

Some have hypothesized that a purr may even have healing properties.

Purring occurs on both inhaling and exhaling, producing a thrumming 20 to 150 Herz hum. It remains unclear exactly how they do it.

Staying close

Often a cat’s presence is the best signal that it is fond of you — this is especially true of timid cats. A feline will stay away from a person in whom they are not interested or whom they feel anxious about.

Eyes

Feline eyes are always fairly large, but when they get very big — sometimes with their irises dilated — they may signal a hyper-excited state or a perceived threat.

Researchers have recently confirmed what some cat lovers have long suspected: To make peace with a cat, offer them a very slow blink. It is as if to say “I feel safe enough with you to close my eyes, and you should feel the same.”

Whiskers

While they are made from keratin, the same substance as hair, cats’ whiskers are far more than that. Whiskers are specialized touch organs, each with from 100 to 200 nerve cells that provide the cat information about everything they brush against.

Whiskers can also signal a feline’s mood. When a cat is relaxed, they stick out from the side of the face. When a cat is happy or excited — while being gently petted, for example — they point forward in a tight little arc of pleasure. Whiskers move back against a cat’s face when alarmed.

Researchers have found that living with a cat offers health benefits physically and, especially, psychologically, assuming you are not allergic to cats.

A 2009 study, for example, found that people who had owned a had a lower risk of dying from a heart attack than people who had never owned a cat.

In a 2011 survey conducted by the United Kingdom feline welfare charity Cats Protection, 93.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of respondents said owning a cat has been beneficial for their mental health.

And one study showed that living with multiple pets, including cats, can reduce a child’s likelihood of developing allergies.

Some have expressed concern regarding a potential zoonotic infection of cat owners by Toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled microscopic parasitic organism often found in cat feces.

Some have even suggested that T. gondii can be a trigger for schizophrenia.

In 2016, researchers fact checked T. gondii’s association with schizophrenia and major depression, poor impulse control — including suicidal behavior and criminality — personality, and neurocognitive performance. They found there was little evidence that links T. gondii to any of these issues.

Positive psychological effects

According to Dr. Pendry, cats “give us attention, relieve our loneliness, provide comfort, fun, and play, affection, and special unique permission to stroke/ pet them and keep them on our laps, which we know releases oxytocin, which in turn suppresses the production of cortisol, a stress hormone.”

“And I believe, the benefits are mutual,” she added. “As long as the affection we give them is welcomed, they derive similar comforts and a sense of belonging from us.”

Top advice for young people starting a business

Top advice for young people starting a business

Billionaire Mark Cuban was only 12 yrs outdated when he released his 1st side hustle, so he understands what it requires to commence a small business at a youthful age.

And, he suggests you can find just one uncomplicated matter you need to contemplate if you want to do it, way too.

“The critical to starting up a business enterprise when you happen to be young is performing points that you can do by yourself — items you can do with your individual time,” Cuban lately advised a team of significant faculty pupils at Lewisville Large College in Texas.

That indicates commencing with what you know, he mentioned.

“If it is really a products, do a little something that is quick for you to get and uncomplicated for you to provide,” Cuban said, incorporating: “It seriously arrives down to just one basic thing. The best organizations are matters you can control and do you. That’s what staying an entrepreneur is all about.”

Cuban famously acquired an early start mastering to run his own organization as a pre-teenager advertising garbage baggage door-to-doorway in a Pittsburgh suburb. Later, he sold a assortment of collectibles, from baseball cards to coins and stamps, expressing the proceeds helped pay out for his university tuition.

In each and every of individuals circumstances, Cuban employed family objects and collectibles that were accessible to a kid and provide them for a revenue — pursuing his own advice for teens nowadays.

Similarly, as a school pupil, he worked as a bartender and taught dance lessons to make more dollars. Cuban afterwards confirmed off his dance capabilities publicly by appearing on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2007, finishing 8th in the level of competition.

“I was a hustler … I have always been selling. I often had a little something going on. That was just my mother nature,” Cuban reported all through a 2016 episode of ABC’s “Shark Tank.”

Now, Cuban states he regularly tells little ones and teenagers searching to commence their individual enterprises to do what he did. Construct all-around “a little something they can make or a services they can provide to good friends, spouse and children and neighbors,” he informed CNBC Make It in September.

Which is a lot easier explained than performed, of class: Effectively launching and rising your very own business is infamously difficult. Approximately 20{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of new organizations are unsuccessful inside a yr of launching, in accordance to information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Stats.

“Being an entrepreneur and starting off a organization would not mean it’s heading to be quick and all of a unexpected you make a good deal of income,” Cuban advised the pupils at Lewisville Large College. “Becoming an entrepreneur is the more difficult way.”

If it was simple, he included, “you all would currently be undertaking it and coming on ‘Shark Tank’ and using my put.”

Finding one thing you can command and do your self is challenging enough. Becoming fantastic at it — which, incidentally, is Cuban’s No. 1 rule for earning cash — is a whole lot more difficult.

It consists of extensively researching your company plan and potential competitors, in search of out funding, and generating backup plans to permit for flexibility if you need to modify on the fly, the billionaire has formerly mentioned.

As lengthy as you never head putting in that work, specifically just after you pick your organization possibility, a entire world of chance can open up up for you, Cuban explained to the high school students.

“If you’re willing to choose the initiative and start a company, everything is doable,” he said.

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable legal rights to “Shark Tank.”

Indication up now: Get smarter about your dollars and career with our weekly publication

You should not miss out on:

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Tesla Stock Tanked in 2022; Now They’re Offering $7500 Discounts

Tesla Stock Tanked in 2022; Now They’re Offering $7500 Discounts
  • It really is been tricky to escape the news concerning Tesla CEO Elon Musk these times. At any time given that he obtained Twitter two months ago, the information hasn’t stopped—and it hasn’t stopped Tesla’s share cost from having a significant tumble. It can be down 45 percent because Musk acquired Twitter and close to 70 percent considering the fact that the start out of the calendar year.
  • Amid rumors of softening desire, Tesla has began offering incentives to new buyers. Some latest proprietors are acquiring a 30-day demo of some Enhanced Autopilot capabilities, which are commonly a compensated update.
  • Tesla is also giving different savings close to the environment, like $7500 for Model 3 and Product Y purchasers in December, together with 10,000 miles of no cost Supercharging.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s long, strange vacation to invest in the social media web-site Twitter continues to get more time and stranger. As the vehicle sector watches what is actually taking place to the microblogging web page underneath the world’s most-famous automaker CEO, Tesla shareholders usually are not particularly having fun with the experience. The selling price of a person TSLA share rate would price tag you just beneath $200 at the begin of 2022. Today, the rate is just about $123.


There are a number of motives for that just about 70-p.c fall, but the most evident current impression has appear from Musk’s community exhibit on Twitter. Since Musk acquired Twitter two months back, the stock has fallen 45 p.c. The fact that Musk marketed $3.6 billion of Tesla inventory last week—and almost $40 billion since late 2021—hasn’t assisted. Musk has since promised not to sell any additional Tesla stock for two yrs, but he has contradicted himself in the past.

Of class, Tesla is impacted by non-Musk-associated factors, and tech shares have been in an all round decline this 12 months. Still, ABC Information notes that the tech-significant Nasdaq only fell about 50 percent as considerably as Tesla has because January 1, 2022.

A different variable impacting Tesla’s stock price tag is reduced demand for its all-electrical autos. In response, Tesla has lowered selling prices on some products and has started off offering some present-day owners of its EVs totally free trials of the company’s Improved Autopilot, an innovative driver-assistance variation of its Autopilot, for 30 times. Improved Autopilot characteristics consist of navigation with Autopilot, computerized lane changes and computerized parking and summoning. These characteristics are commonly paid upgrades and involve certain sensors to be installed. As Electrek notes, Tesla is shifting absent from putting in ultrasonic sensors in just about every auto but hasn’t up-to-date its computer software to run some of these Enhanced Autopilot features (Autopark, Summon and Sensible Summon) in Tesla vehicles that only have digicam sensors.

As for price tag alterations on Tesla, the automaker started off supplying a $3750 price reduction to U.S. shoppers on two models, the Model 3 and the Model Y, at the starting of December. This amount doubled, to $7500, past week for prospects having delivery this month. Tesla also additional yet another incentive—10,000 miles value of free energy at Tesla Supercharging stations—for EVs shipped in December. Tesla consumers in other nations are also becoming offered various savings, Reuters notes, like $5000 in Canada and all over $850 in China.

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This content material is imported from poll. You may possibly be capable to locate the exact same content material in yet another format, or you may be equipped to come across extra facts, at their internet web page.

What Fashion’s Creative Talent Needs to Know Today

What Fashion’s Creative Talent Needs to Know Today

Discover the most relevant industry news and insights for fashion creatives, updated each month to enable you to excel in job interviews, promotion conversations or impress in the workplace by increasing your market awareness and emulating market leaders.

BoF Careers distils business intelligence from across the breadth of our content — editorial briefings, newsletters, case studies, podcasts and events — to deliver key takeaways and learnings tailored to your job function, listed alongside a selection of the most exciting live jobs advertised by BoF Careers partners.

Key articles and need-to-know insights for creatives in fashion today:

1. The Year Ahead: Looking at Formalwear Through a New Lens

Zegna show featuring two models

Formalwear is showing signs of a rebound after pandemic-induced disruptions. In Europe and the US, retail sales of shirts and blouses, non-denim trousers and skirts are projected to grow at a faster rate between 2022 and 2026 than they had in the 10 years before the pandemic, according to Euromonitor.

But concerns of economic gloom that may be on the horizon may hold the market back in 2023. For office and evening wear, this may mean consumers start repurposing garments for multiple occasions. In contrast, occasion wear at the most formal end of the category is expected to be more resilient […] According to the BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2023 survey, 39 percent of fashion executives expect sales of occasionwear to be among the top three growth categories in 2023.

Related Jobs:

Online Senior Stylist, Massimo Dutti — Barcelona, Spain

Junior Stylist, Mytheresa — Munich, Germany

Visual Stylist, Neiman Marcus — New York, United States

2. The BoF Podcast | Nick Knight on Why the Metaverse Is Fashion’s Next Frontier

Nick Knight NFTs

Nick Knight has recently launched ikon-1 NFTs in collaboration with model and creator Jazzelle. By creating digital renders, which act as collectable works of art, Knight believes fashion creativity can shift to this new medium.

The metaverse will require new ways of working rather than developing existing methods of image creation in the physical world. “I think we are re-learning a whole bunch of things which you can’t just take exactly what we do in the real world,” he says. “And that is not necessarily the best thing to do in a space, which is a virtual space [where] so many more things are possible.”

Related Jobs:

Senior Graphic Designer, Joseph — London, United Kingdom

Senior UX Designer, Aeyde — Berlin, Germany

Digital Product Manager, Tapestry — Shanghai, China

3. Ludovic de Saint Sernin to Design Ann Demeulemeester

Ludovic de Saint Sernin.

Ann Demeulemeester, the Belgian label acquired by Italian entrepreneur Claudio Antonioli in 2020, has appointed Paris-based designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin as its new creative director.

De Saint Sernin founded his eponymous label in 2017, establishing a signature vocabulary of revealing, gender-fluid pieces rife with laces and crystal embellishments. The brand built a devoted, niche following for his slinky undergarments, “dick print” pants, knit tanks and silk blouses, which have been stocked by retailers including MatchesFashion and Ssense. While the designer’s sexed-up, DIY aesthetic may seem an odd fit for Demeulemeester’s gothic bohemian universe, the designers share a penchant for monochrome, drapey and deconstructed looks.

Related Jobs:

Creative Director, Organic Basics — Copenhagen, Denmark

Lead Art Director, Zalando — Berlin, Germany

Associate Art Director, Amiri — Los Angeles, United States

4. The African Fashion Hub Punching Above Its Weight

A model tries an outfit by the Tunisian designer Fawzi Nawar in a hotel in Abidjan during the Moreno Fashion Show in Ivory Coast.

Experts say the time is right for more international fashion businesses to enter the cosmopolitan Côte d’Ivoire market. In addition to the local upper and middle class consumer base, there are a significant number of West African residents from other francophone nations who drive consumption in Abidjan.

In 2018, [Paris-based Aziz Doumbia] launched a concept store in Abidjan called Dozo that has pulled together an array of local designers like Loza Maléombho, whose accessories were worn by Beyoncé for her Disney production Black is King; contemporary menswear brand Kente Gentleman, and accessory brand Maison Oloro. Doumbia describes the store as a hub, but most importantly as an opportunity to bring local designers who found an audience online and abroad into a physical space in the bustling city.

Related Jobs:

Manager Graphic Designer, Tiffany & Co. — New York, United States

Creative Studio Apprentice, Coach — New York, United States

Assistant Graphic Designer, Chico’s — Fort Myers, United States

5. How Beauty Brands Can Take Advantage of TikTok Trends

Building brand based off tiktok trend

TikTok has sparked countless beauty trends, […] sent drug store staple brands like CeraVe to the apex of the beauty conversation, and prompted a resurgence of products like Clinique’s black honey lipstick. But reacting to the app’s constantly-shifting trend churn is a tough task for beauty brands. Creating new products that perfectly fit into a trend is often unrealistic. Even with the most agile supply chain, products take time to develop, and TikTok trends are often limited by geography and age group with life cycles as short as a few weeks. It’s hard to predict what might go viral, and determine what will stay cool.

Still, ad hoc conversation on TikTok is a huge driver of beauty buzz, especially among younger consumers. Brands can build off of trends by understanding the wider tendencies they reveal, and tap into specific trends by using them to tell stories about existing products. They should also use TikTok to stay in touch with what consumers want and are talking about, and incorporate overarching themes into their assortments in a way that feels true to the brand’s ethos.

Related Jobs:

Creative Producer, LN-CC — London, United Kingdom

Creative Production Intern, Scotch & Soda — Amsterdam, Netherlands

Motion Graphic Designer, Fashion Nova — Vernon, United States

6. Why Gucci Wanted a Change — And What’s Next

Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele (L) attending the Met Gala with US actor Jared Leto.

[In November], Gucci announced it would part ways with its star designer Alessandro Michele, stunning many brand devotees and some fashion insiders. From 2015 to 2019, under Michele and CEO Marco Bizzarri Gucci delivered the most successful turnaround in the history of the luxury industry […] Sales more than doubled while profits quadrupled at the brand, which drove the fashion agenda and helped usher in a new generation of young luxury consumers drawn to its sporty styles and bold merchandising.

[However,] Gucci experienced a heavier hit than most rivals during the pandemic and took longer to get sales back to pre-virus levels. This was in part due to a higher exposure to struggling channels like wholesale, off-price and travel retail. But as the company succeeded in scaling back that exposure, Gucci’s continued underperformance versus peers became harder not to see as a sign that consumer interest for Michele’s aesthetic was fading.

Related Jobs:

Art Direction Manager, Hugo Boss — Stuttgart, Germany

Graphic Designer, Jonathan Simkhai — West Hollywood, United States

Art Director, Bugatchi — Montréal, Canada

7. Los Angeles, the Fifth Fashion City?

Celine Hedi Slimane will show his Autumn/Winter 2023 womenswear collection in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec 8, 2022.

This year alone, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Dior Men and Alexander Wang have all put on shows in Southern California — primarily in Los Angeles, the centre of the entertainment industry, whose red carpet culture is an increasingly important marketing tool for fashion brands. The city is also a homebase for many fashion industry-adjacent creatives, who consult for the likes of Celine or Tom Ford, or one of the dozens of mass-market companies based here, including SKIMS and GOAT.

[In December,] Hedi Slimane unveiled Celine’s Fall 2023 womenswear collection, months ahead of rivals. Showing in LA is a no-brainer at this time of year especially, when stylists are gearing up for awards season. […] It’s also a place people never seem to grow tired of visiting. For the ever-shrinking, but still-existing, cadre of editors who are flown out to attend such events, LA is an attractive proposition because they can often tack on unrelated work. And of course, the US market remains a huge priority for luxury brands, even as spending slows.

Related Jobs:

Junior Events Designer, Jack Bryant Productions — London, United Kingdom

Associate Creative Director, Banana Republic — New York, United States

Creative Director, Old Navy — San Francisco, United States

8. What’s Next for The Frankie Shop

The Frankie Shop saw $40 million in net sales in 2021.

Founded in New York’s Lower East Side by ex-journalist Gaëlle Drevet in 2014, The Frankie Shop has quietly built a reputation for its utilitarian women’s apparel. […] The brand has become an influencer favourite with a wide presence across social media — a million followers on Instagram alone — though Drevet rarely does paid partnerships or collaborations.

Over the past year, to keep up with demand, The Frankie Shop grew its team and brick-and-mortar presence, inking a slew of new wholesale partnerships including Matchesfashion and Ssense. It also launched a home section along with menswear last year, and with the rise of gender-fluid dressing, Drevet notes that most consumers shop across categories. In 2022, the privately-owned brand has brought in $40 million in net sales so far with 100 percent year-over-year growth. “Now our big challenge is to manage this success,” said Drevet.

Related Jobs:

Brand Graphic Designer, Maharishi — London, United Kingdom

Art Director, Bloomingdale’s — New York, United States

Art Director, Figs — Santa Monica, United States

Careers banner.

Thursday, December 22, 2022 | Kaiser Health News

Thursday, December 22, 2022 | Kaiser Health News

Extreme Chilly To Hit Considerably Of US, Triggering Well being, Security Warnings

“Wild drops in temperature,” Mashable stories, can be anticipated as a bomb cyclone pushes polar air down by the center of the region above the coming days. Retailers cover security suggestions, an forthcoming state of emergency in Georgia prompted by the weather conditions, and how homeless people today are afflicted.


Mashable:
Excessive Polar Cold Is About To Pummel The U.S. More than The Vacations


The Nationwide Climate Service expects that giant swathes of the country will practical experience freezing or risky conditions more than the coming 7 days, with some locations seeing their coldest temperatures in many years. Over-all, cold polar air will fall south into the Central U.S. on Wednesday, Dec. 21 and keep on driving into the Eastern U.S. on Friday and Saturday. What is far more, a key blizzard will slam the Midwest amongst Dec. 21-25. Hope wild drops in temperature. For example, the NWS predicts the large temperature in Denver on Wednesday will be 46 degrees Fahrenheit. That will fall to around minus 1 F on Thursday. In the meantime, temperatures in the New York City region will be in the 40s and 50s Friday morning, but will plummet to all over 20 degrees or colder later on that day. In some places, wind chill temperatures (the air temperature as it would experience blown on pores and skin) are just bonkers: In Wyoming on Wednesday night by means of Thursday many temperatures will be very well beneath minus 50 F. (Kaufman, 12/21)


Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Kemp To Declare State Of Emergency Forward Of Dangerously Cold Climate


Remember that scene in “Rudolph the Crimson Nose Reindeer” where he’s wandering by itself by way of a righteously windy storm? The Atlanta location and a lot of north Georgia will be a bit like that this weekend (minus the snow, in all probability). Right away Thursday and possibly all the way until Monday, wind chill temperatures are probable to technique zero or head into the negatives. (Estep, 12/21)

Unhoused individuals are urged to discover shelter —


The Guardian:
US Shelters See Influx Of Homeless Trying to get Assist Amid ‘Life-Threatening’ Winter season


Buffalo makes use of an emergency climate security program, Code Blue, to offer warm meals, shelter, transportation, and health care care to the city’s homeless. The program’s coordinator, Jean Bennett, reported this weekend qualifies as an extraordinary temperature celebration, a single of a several the city sees each winter. The city will send a Code Blue van all-around to identify unsheltered individuals, pick them up, and convey them inside. “If they never want to depart whatsoever environment they are in,” Bennett explained, “we will phone the law enforcement. They aren’t producing a superior decision. This temperature can be fatal, and they can go absent quickly. For the duration of excessive weather occasions, we don’t permit them make that decision.” (Ryan, 12/22)


The Texas Tribune and The New York Periods:
Winter Storm, Improve In Migrants Strain Metropolitan areas In the course of Texas


With freezing temperatures expected across considerably of the point out Thursday and Friday, Texas metropolitan areas are turning their notice to their unhoused communities — the people most at hazard from the single-digit temperatures. The impending freeze is not predicted to bring situations as significant as the 2021 winter season storm, and the point out energy grid’s governing entire body mentioned this 7 days it expects the grid to keep on line. But with temperatures in numerous components of the condition plummeting into single digits, unsheltered folks will be primarily susceptible. (Tompkins and Salhotra, 12/22)

Recommendations for remaining healthier and safe in freezing temperatures —


CNN:
Wintertime Security Checklist: Keep Safe And Warm With This Guideline


When being indoors through cold temperatures or a wintertime storm, the US Facilities for Condition Handle and Avoidance gives these guidelines: Make guaranteed any infants more youthful than 1 calendar year old are not sleeping in chilly rooms and have sufficient heat apparel, these as footed pajamas, 1-piece wearable blankets or rest sacks. Take out any pillows or other gentle bedding from a baby’s crib, considering that they pose the threat of smothering or sudden toddler death syndrome. If you have mates or neighbors more mature than 65, check on them usually to guarantee that their properties are sufficiently heated. Leave drinking water taps somewhat open to reduce freezing pipes. Consume properly-well balanced foods to remain heat. Avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine, simply because they can result in your overall body to drop heat far more promptly. (Howard, 12/21)


WPBN:
Critical Safety Reminders For Emergency Wintertime Travel 


The Nationwide Temperature Provider stated that, involving Thursday and Saturday, travel should really be limited to emergencies only as traveling will be “complicated to extremely hard at occasions.” Individuals can buy a pre-built unexpected emergency package or you can make one particular them selves. An emergency kit could include things like issues like gloves, cat litter, a blanket, a flashlight, jumper cables and a car or truck cell phone charger. (Bricca, 12/21)


Fox2Now.com:
What Really should You Do If Your Electrical power Goes Out In Freezing Temperature?


FEMA gave several recommendations on how to keep harmless all through a power outage: Wear levels of free-fitting and light-weight apparel. These will preserve you warmer than a cumbersome sweater. Under no circumstances use a generator within a property, basement, lose or garage, even if doors or windows are open up. This is for the reason that of the opportunity for carbon monoxide poisoning. Do not use a gas stovetop oven, camp stove or charcoal grill to heat your property. Hold freezers and refrigerators closed. Refrigerators will hold food items chilly for all around 4 hrs, and a total freezer will preserve the temperature for all over 48 hrs. Flip off or disconnect appliances, equipment and electronics. Find health-related attention immediately if everyone in your relatives ordeals the indications of frostbite or hypothermia. (Jarpe and Nexstar, 12/21)


The Colorado Solar:
What To Do If You Feel You Have Frostbite


You’ve possibly heard that the cells in your human body are 70{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} water. But what transpires when it gets so chilly that all that drinking water inside your cells starts off turning into ice crystals? Hospitals across Colorado dread that additional than a few people in the state are about to obtain out, as the coldest air to hit the Entrance Vary in many years barged into the point out overnight. (Ingold, 12/22)

In related information —

Tesla Stock Vs. BYD Stock: Tesla Shanghai Suspends Production As Covid Wave Hits BYD

Tesla Stock Vs. BYD Stock: Tesla Shanghai Suspends Production As Covid Wave Hits BYD

Tesla (TSLA) and BYD Co. (BYDDF) are both fast-growing EV giants. A lot of attention falls on startups such as Rivian Automotive (RIVN), Lucid (LCID), Nio (NIO), Xpeng (XPEV) and Li Auto (LI), as well as traditional automakers pushing into EVs, such as General Motors (GM) and Ford Motor (F). But Tesla and BYD are setting the pace.




X



Tesla Shanghai suspended production as of Dec. 24 after curbing output back on Dec. 12 due to swelling inventories, even with big year-end discounts. Tesla also is offering various year-end incentives in Europe and the U.S.

BYD sales have been booming, but the China EV giant said Dec. 22 that Covid infections among factory workers is curbing its output.

Including plug-in hybrids, BYD has surged past Tesla sales. It’s closing the gap on BEVs, with sales soaring yet again in November. BYD continues to open new plants, with plans for its first factories outside China, including Thailand, Brazil and, soon, Europe.

Tesla stock has plunged in recent weeks on signs of weak demand as well as concerns about Elon Musk’s tweets on Tesla’s brand.

BYD stock is off bear-market lows, bouncing as China eased Covid rules. But it’s retreating now on resulting coronavirus wave.

Let’s take a look at Tesla vs. BYD — and Tesla stock vs. BYD stock.

Tesla Vs. BYD Sales

Tesla reported Q3 deliveries of 343,830 cars, up 42{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} vs. a year earlier and above Q1’s record 310,048. But that was below analysts’ estimates of above 360,000. Tesla produced 365,923 vehicles in the latest quarter, more than 22,000 above deliveries.

Tesla delivered 325,158 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Q3, along with 18,672 Model S and Model X luxury EVs.

BYD sold 230,427 all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in November, up 153{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} vs. a year earlier and 5.8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} vs. October. That includes 229,942 personal vehicles and 485 commercial units. Of those personal vehicles, some 113,915 were fully electric, or battery electric vehicles (BEVs), up 147{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} vs. November 2021. Plug-in hybrids shot up 164{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} to 116,027.

Over the past three months, BYD has sold 649,502 BEVs and PHEVs, including 312,013 BEVs.

BYD’s 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}-owned Denza unit reported sales for the first time, with 350 Denza D9 minivans sold in October and 3,481 in November. The D9, which comes in BEV and PHEV formats, starts around $50,000. Mercedes-Benz owns 10{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of Denza.

Tesla vs BYD

 

Tesla Expansion, Demand

Tesla opened its plants near Berlin, Germany, and Austin, Texas in March and April, respectively. Model Y production has ramped up slowly at those sites, but is improving.

Recent upgrades to the Tesla Shanghai facility significantly boosted production capacity. But Tesla China demand is struggling to keep up with increased output.

Tesla sold a record 100,291 China-made EVs in November. That includes exports.

Tesla cut actual Model 3 and Model Y prices in China on Oct. 24 by as much as 9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

Tesla is now offering a 6,000 yuan ($860) discount on inventory cars in China, on top of an existing 4,000 yuan insurance subsidy. Along with other incentives, Tesla China is offering over 21,000 yuan in incentives, with even more in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

All that’s before government subsidies of 11,088 yuan. Those government subsidies expire Dec. 31. So buyers will be paying more for many Tesla vehicles, and other EVs, in 2023. However, Tesla China sales are still weakening in December, according to China vehicle registration data.

Tesla Shanghai reportedly slowed production on Dec. 12 and halted output on Dec. 24, amid rising inventories. Workers are set to return on Jan. 1. Tesla had denied reports that it would slower or suspend Shanghai output.

Tesla exported more Shanghai vehicles in Q4 to ease local demand concerns. But that, along with increased Tesla Berlin production, is reducing European backlogs.

Germany will reduce EV subsidies as of Jan. 1. Norway is ending subsidies. Sweden has just ended subsidies with U.K. subsidies winding down soon.

Even with some pull-forward demand due to the expiring subsidies, Tesla is now offering 10,000 free Supercharging kilometers in Europe for taking delivery before year-end. It’s also offering some Model Y discounts in the U.K.

All of that suggests weaker European demand in 2023.

Over in the U.S., many Tesla vehicles will be eligible for new U.S., tax credits of up to $7,500 as of Jan. 1, subject to a variety of conditions.

That’s spurring many would-be buyers to delay purchases or delivery until Jan. 1. In December, Tesla offered $3,750 off and 10,000 free Supercharger miles for people taking U.S. delivery of a Model 3 or Model Y before year-end. On Dec. 21, Tesla upped that discount to $7,500.

Meanwhile, Tesla reportedly will soon announce plans to build its next EV plant in northeastern Mexico. That would offer a relatively low-cost site while still being close to the U.S. market. It’s unclear which vehicles might be produced at the plant, which presumably would not be operational until 2024 at the earliest.

BYD Expansion

BYD also is adding significant EV and battery capacity.

The auto giant’s NEV deliveries should more than triple to 1.88 million in 2022, a BYD exec said Dec. 22. That’s slightly below its prior hopes for 1.9 million, due to a recent Covid outbreak among factory workers. That’s curbing daily production by at least 2,000 vehicles.

There’s concern that Covid waves, which will likely continue beyond the Lunar New Year in late January, will hinder production, supply chains and demand in China broadly.

BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu has set a 2023 delivery goal of 4 million.

Tesla, targeting the luxury and affordable luxury markets, has far higher selling prices than BYD. The majority of BYD’s EVs and hybrids sell for $15,000-$34,000, though a growing number top $40,000.

The China EV giant also plans to move upscale significantly. The Denza unit moves BYD into the affordable luxury space. A Denza SUV should join the D9 minivan in early 2023.

BYD said it would raise China prices as of Jan. 1, citing battery material costs, even though that’s when government subsidies end.

BYD also plans to launch two more brands in 2023.

The first, called Yangwang, which means “looking up,” will target the luxury market for 800,000 yuan ($110,300) or more, starting with an off-road SUV.

BYD also will launch a personalized brand next year, with few details given.


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BYD Vs. Tesla: Tesla Electric Vehicles

Tesla mass produces four electric vehicles: the luxury Model S sedan and Model X SUV as well as the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover. The vast majority are the Model 3 and Model Y, with the Model S and X largely limited to North America for now.

On Dec. 1, the first Tesla Semi deliveries took place, with PepsiCo (PEP) the first customer. The Tesla Semi was first unveiled in 2017. But the Tesla Semi will not use 4680 batteries, raising questions about costs. It’s also unclear if the Semi will be produced in volume or in token amounts.

The Roadster and Cybertruck also have been pushed back multiple times. Musk says the Cybertruck is on track for “early” production mid-2023, with a Reuters report saying mass production will start at the end of 2023.

Put prices and specs will likely be different from the initial Cybertruck claims back in 2019, Musk says.

The Cybertruck likely will largely serve the U.S. market. So Tesla may not have a new passenger EV for most of the world until 2024 or later.

Tesla may be updating its Model 3 sedan at some point in 2023, with the goal of lowering production costs and improving its appeal. The “Highland” redesign reportedly will include some changes to the interior and exterior, as well as possible change to the powertrain.

Model 3 sales have flattened out, in part due to people opting for the Model Y crossover but also due to competition from the BYD Seal, Nio ET5 and many more.

Musk also recently stated that Tesla is working on a much-cheaper EV, signaling a possible return to a long-touted goal of a $25,000 vehicle. However, he gave no timeline. Even now, such a model would run into dozens of existing rivals, mostly from Chinese EV makers such as BYD.

BYD Vs. Tesla: BYD EVs Big And Small

BYD has a slew of models, some with electric and hybrid versions. The automaker is rolling out several new EV-only and hybrid-only models in the next several months.

The Seal sedan is BYD’s first clear head-to-head competition vs. Tesla. The BYD Seal has roughly equal dimensions and range to a Model 3 — and is far cheaper. The Seal starts at 212,800 RMB ($29,617) vs. 265,900 RMB ($37,007) for a made-in-China Model 3, even after Tesla’s price cuts.

BYD started Seal deliveries in late August, with deliveries reaching 11,267 in October. Production is set to keep ramping up and will reach many overseas markets in 2023.

BYD unveiled Frigate 07, a mid-size SUV that’s the second model in the Warship line of plug-in hybrids. The Destroyer PHEV sedan launched this spring.

BYD also is one of the biggest makers of electric buses, with plants in the U.S. and many other countries besides China. BYD also makes EV delivery trucks, big rigs, garbage trucks and more.

BYD makes buses, big rigs and other heavy vehicles for the U.S. market at its Lancaster, Calif., plant.


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Tesla Stock Vs. BYD Stock: EV Markets

Tesla is a global EV giant, with major sales in North America, Europe and China. It has notable business in Korea, Japan, Australia and some other Asian markets. It has four plants, starting with Fremont, Calif., and Shanghai, joined by the Austin, Texas, and Berlin-area plants. Tesla already exports to Europe, mostly from Shanghai.

Tesla is launching in Thailand, but it’s unclear when deliveries will start.

As the Berlin plant ramps up, the Shanghai plant will export fewer Model Ys to Europe, though Model 3 shipments will likely continue.

While Tesla capacity is soaring, it has no major new markets to enter or new passenger EVs in the near future.

The U.S. recently approved new EV tax credits. Tesla, no longer eligible under the old program, should be a winner. Income and vehicle price caps will limit some Tesla vehicles’ and buyers’ eligibility. A requirement for a high and rising share of battery materials and components from North America also could complicate matters.

But, if nothing else, the new rules — which mandate assembly in North America — cut off tax credits to many Tesla rivals.

BYD’s auto plants are in China, with virtually all its sales there, but those are both changing.

The company has just opened a semi-knocked down assembly plant, in which partially assembled vehicles are imported and finished to get lower import tariffs.

BYD will build a manufacturing plant in Thailand. The export-focused plant should be running in 2024 with an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles.

BYD will build three plants in northeastern Brazil, including one for passenger vehicles. The plants will begin operation in 2024-2025.

A top BYD executive said recently that the company is planning on an EU factory, perhaps two.

Exports reached 12,318 in November, up from 9,529 in October and 4,026 in July. They should keep surging in the next several months.

BYD has started Atto 3 deliveries in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. The Atto 3 is the Yuan Plus’ name for most overseas markets. Several other Asian countries will follow in the next few weeks and months, including Thailand, Malaysia, India and Japan.

BYD has started deliveries across much of Europe, expanding from just the Norway market. BYD set European pricing well above the sticker price for those vehicles in China, suggesting the automaker is looking to establish itself as a premium or near-premium brand on the Continent.

BYD in early October agreed to sell more than 100,000 EVs to German car rental giant SIXT over six years. That follows Tesla and GM EV deals with Hertz (HTZ). SIXT says it will order several thousand BYD EVs to start.

The EV giant will enter Japan with the Atto 3 in early 2023, the Dolphin/Atto 2 midyear and Seal/Atto 4 in late 2023.

BYD is increasing its sales in Latin America, ramping up in Brazil in particular. The automaker said in late November that it will enter Mexico in 2023. It’s also planning to enter Chile, a major lithium producer.

America isn’t officially in BYD’s sights in terms of personal EVs. Tariffs on China-made autos make exports to the U.S. cost prohibitive. BYD does make some EV buses here, with a lot of extra space at its Lancaster, Calif., site outside Los Angeles.

BYD is mulling building a battery plant in the U.S., but not currently making EVs here.


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Tesla Vs. BYD Batteries

Tesla doesn’t mass produce battery cells. The Sparks, Nevada, gigafactory is a joint venture with Panasonic, which makes the cells. In China and increasingly in the U.S., Tesla buys off-the-shelf batteries from CATL.

It’s increasingly shifting to lithium iron phosphate batteries. LFPs have some cost advantages, which have grown because they don’t require any cobalt or nickel, unlike lithium-ion batteries.

Tesla has long led in getting more out of its batteries, though the high-end Lucid Air has higher battery efficiency than Tesla.

Tesla is developing its own 4680 battery cells in a pilot program. The 4680 batteries don’t involve new chemistry. The larger form factor offers the potential for cost savings, but technical challenges remain.

BYD batteries, by contrast, are truly in house. The BYD Blade batteries, a specialized LFP battery, are seen as among the safest available for EVs.

BYD also is working on sodium-ion batteries, which offer lower range but would be much cheaper. They could be  useful for small-range vehicles or for storage, where energy density is less of an issue.

BYD is now supplying Blade batteries to Tesla Berlin. It’s a major validation, as BYD aims to be a major battery supplier to third-party automakers.

The made-in-China Ford Mustang Mach-E uses BYD batteries.

Toyota (TM) will use BYD batteries and motors in an upcoming small EV for the Chinese market, the bZ3. BYD may be actively involved in Toyota’s wider EV push in the coming years.

BYD and Tesla are on the forefront of automakers trying to lock up supplies of lithium and other key battery raw materials.

Musk has discussed Tesla getting involved in lithium mining, but hasn’t done so. Tesla has proposed a lithium processing plant in Texas.

BYD is involved in several lithium mining projects already.


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Tesla Beyond EVs

Tesla and BYD are more than just EV makers.

Tesla has solar and battery storage businesses, but both are a small part of total revenue.

Tesla also generates revenue via its Supercharger network. It’s starting to open its Supercharger network to non-Tesla vehicles in parts of Europe, where third-party charging stations are common. In the U.S., the Supercharger network is still a big moat for Tesla, but the automaker may open at least some stations to attract new subsidies.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Thanksgiving that Full Self-Driving Beta is now available to any FSD owners in North America who request it.

That could allow Tesla to recognize more deferred revenue from FSD. Tesla’s self-driving efforts have been a key revenue driver and brand builder.

But Full Self-Driving is not full self-driving. Even FSD Beta is a Level 2 driver-assist system, while many U.S. and China rivals are rolling out Level 4 robotaxi services in select urban areas.

The Justice Department reportedly is conducting a criminal probe of Tesla’s self-driving claims. The SEC has a civil probe of Tesla’s claims. The California DMV in July accused the EV giant of misleading customers about Autopilot and FSD.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has expanded an Autopilot probe multiple times, looking into crashes into stationary emergency vehicles, “phantom braking,” in-cabin cameras and even how Tesla assembles reports that claim to show Autopilot’s safety benefits.

Still, Tesla raised the price of FSD in North America to $15,000 from $12,000 in early September.

An Optimus robot prototype was unveiled at Tesla AI Day on Sept. 30, with limited mobility. Musk said Optimus should go on sale in 3-5 years for less than $20,000. Most experts say general purpose humanoid robots are decades away.

BYD Semiconductor, Solar And More

BYD makes its own chips, which has helped it rapidly expand over the past year while the industry had to idle production.

The company also has solar and energy storage businesses, as well as a variety of other operations.

BYD said in mid-December that it had deployed 6.5 gigawatts’ worth of battery storage so far in 2022. That’s likely at least equal to Tesla, which deployed 4.08 GWh of battery storage in Q1-Q3, with just over half of that in Q3.

BYD’s massive battery plant expansion is driving its own EV growth and third-party EV sales, but will help the storage business boom next year.

BYD’s chairman has said driver-assist systems will be introduced in 2023. But BYD has various autonomous driving initiatives, with Baidu (BIDU), Nvidia (NVDA), China’s Momenta. BYD says it will use chips from Horizon Robotics in some 2023 models and has a stake in Lidar supplier RoboSense. BYD reportedly is working on in-house Lidar and self-driving chips as well.


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Tesla Stock Vs. BYD Fundamentals

Tesla earnings more than tripled to $2.26 a share in 2021, vs. 75 cents in 2020 and just 1 cent in 2019.

Tesla earnings rose 69{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in Q3 while revenue grew 56{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, but the top-line gain fell short.

Tesla’s gross margin was 25.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, with an automotive margin of 27.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, both roughly flat vs. Q2 but down from a year earlier. Tesla excludes R&D costs and service center overhead from those figures. Overall gross margin including R&D costs was 21.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

With production set to surge in Q4, Tesla said it will make more vehicles than it deliveries for a second straight quarter. It says that’s intended to ease logistic challenges and costs.

BYD earnings declined in 2021. Capital spending last year exceeded capex from 2018-20 combined, with huge outlays for new auto, battery and chip plants. EV and PHEV production capacity has surged and continues to increase. With sales skyrocketing, and BYD’s selling prices rising, that is spurring massive revenue and profit gains this year.

On Oct. 28, BYD reported third-quarter net income jumped 350{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} vs. a year earlier in local currency terms, with revenue up 116{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. Adjusted earnings spiked 923{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

BYD’s gross margin was 18.96{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in Q3, up from 14.39{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in Q2 and 13.33{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} a year earlier. Automotive gross margin was 22.77{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} vs. 17.82{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in Q2 and 17.31{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} vs. a year earlier.

With sales and ASPs continuing to ramp up in Q4, BYD profits and gross margins are likely to improve vs. Q3.


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Tesla Stock Vs. BYD Stock Technicals

Tesla stock is down 65{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} this year as of Dec. 23, according to MarketSmith analysis. BYD stock is off 28{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

TSLA stock hit a record 414.46 in November 2021.

Musk’s chaotic reign of Twitter has raised concerns for Tesla investors. He’s driven away advertisers with his tweets and policies, with the latter often in flux Musk’s rising negatives could hurt the Tesla brand in the U.S. The high year-end U.S. discounts may reflect, in part, Tesla brand damage.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he’ll step down as Twitter’s chief when he finds a new CEO, following a user poll supporting the idea. It’s something many high-profile TSLA bulls have urged. The poll closed with a majority voting “yes.”

But shares have kept tumbling in heavy volume, amid ongoing concerns about Tesla demand. TSLA stock is at its worst levels since September 2020.

Late on Dec. 22, Musk pledged not to sell more Tesla stock until at least 2024. Musk has sold $39 billion in TSLA stock since the November 2021 peak, including $3.5 billion in the three days ended Dec. 14.

BYD hit record highs in June, but then tumbled. Berkshire has sold small slices of its H-shares in BYD in six moves, starting in late August. The latest was disclosed on Dec. 13.

Berkshire still owns around 7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of BYD, based on all share classes.

BYD stock hit a fresh bear market low on Nov. 25. But shares bounced with other China EV makers on Covid easing hopes, retaking the long-sliding 50-day line. Shares retreated below the 50-day line on Dec. 23, with a long distance to the 200-day.

Tesla Stock Market Cap

In terms of market cap, Tesla stock vs. BYD stock is no contest. Tesla is worth $388.9 billion, but well off its peak valuation above $1 trillion. That’s still far above BYD’s $66.8 billion.

An S&P 500 giant, Tesla stock has an array of institutional sponsorship, including many IBD-style mutual funds and other A+ funds. TSLA stock remains a major holding across Ark Invest’s ETFs.

BYD stock has far-less big sponsorship, though Buffett’s Berkshire has been a notable investor for years. Cathie Wood’s Ark also owns a small stake. Very few stocks can boast both Buffett and Wood as investors.

BYD stock is listed in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and only trades over the counter in the U.S. That also means the BYDDF stock chart shows a lot of minigaps.

Tesla Stock Vs. BYD Stock

In many ways BYD is what Tesla claims or aspires to be. BYD makes its own batteries and chips, as well as many other key parts. It’s selling its batteries to other automakers, including Tesla itself. Musk has long touted a goal of a $25,000 Tesla. BYD already sells many EVs at or below $25,000, and at a profit. Musk has mulled getting involved in lithium mining. BYD already is.

BYD’s EV and PHEV unit sales have raced past Tesla’s unit sales, with the automaker accelerating production and moving toward more-upscale offerings. For now, Tesla sells more far more pure electrics than BYD and at higher price points. But the BEV gap is rapidly narrowing, while BYD’s average prices are trending up. Both are reporting booming earnings.

BYD has expanded in several big markets, with several more in the next few months.

Both EV giants are delivering far more electrified vehicles than rivals.

Tesla stock and BYD stock were among the biggest EV winners in 2021. Both are down sharply in 2022, especially Tesla. Both EV giants need serious repair.

So, Tesla stock vs. BYD stock? Investors should keep their eyes on them.

Please follow Ed Carson on Twitter at @IBD_ECarson for stock market updates and more.

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