The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by the need for enhanced driving experience, fuel efficiency, emission standards and growing importance of technologies such as electric, connected and autonomous vehicles. In the last three years alone, there have been over 720,000 patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Electric vehicles in automotive: EV buses. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over one million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
EV buses is a key innovation area in electric vehicles
An electric bus is a type of battery-powered vehicle that is powered by electricity rather than diesel or gasoline. The electric bus employs an electric motor to run and uses electricity stored in batteries on the bus.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 100+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of EV buses.
Key players in EV buses – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to EV buses
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Proterra is the top patent filer in the EV bus segment. The company’s most popular patent is for a battery pack mounted beneath the bus floor, allowing the floor inside the bus between the front and rear axles to be substantially flat. Alstom, AB Volvo, Siemens, Toshiba, and Porsche Automobil are some of the other leading patent filers in EV buses.
In terms of application diversity, The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) held the top position, while Sogrepar and Phoenix Contact stood in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Phoenix Contact leads the pack, followed by Toshiba and Sofibol.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Electric Vehicles (EV).
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
