The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by the demand for battery storage, emissions regulations, environment, and cost considerations, and growing importance of technologies such as lithium sulphur batteries and solid-state batteries]. In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.2 million patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Electric vehicles in Automotive: Lithium-ion batteries. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 619,000 patents to analyse innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 290+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Lithium-ion batteries is a key innovation area in electric vehicles
A Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is a type of rechargeable battery used in electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries are used in a majority of electric vehicles due to their high energy per unit mass compared to other electrical energy storage systems. They also have a high power-to-weight ratio, high energy efficiency and low self-discharge.
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 70+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of lithium-ion batteries.
Key players in lithium-ion batteries – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to lithium-ion batteries
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
LG is a key player in the lithium-ion batteries innovation area. Honda and LG Chem will form a joint venture to produce batteries in the US for the automaker’s forthcoming lineup of EVs. In early 2023, the two companies began work on the construction on a new manufacturing facility and plan to commence production of lithium-ion battery cells by the end of 2025. The JV company will supply lithium-ion batteries with leading-edge technology to aid Honda's plan to build battery-electric vehicles (EV) in North America. Posco, Toyota, Samsung SDI and BASF are the other key players.
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.
