The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by lightweight, long-lasting batteries and powerful solid-state batteries, and growing importance of technologies such as high energy density, flat voltage curves, and low self-discharge. 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: Vehicle battery exchange platforms. 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.
Vehicle battery exchange platforms is a key innovation area in electric vehicles
Battery swapping is a technique that enables swapping a discharged electric car battery with one that is already charged. It enables electric vehicles to exchange a discharged battery pack for a charged one instead of plugging to a charging station. Battery swapping is typically used in applications involving electric forklifts.
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 30+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of vehicle battery exchange platforms.
Key players in vehicle battery exchange platforms – 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 vehicle battery exchange platforms
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2021) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Nio | 117 | Unlock company profile |
| Aulton New Energy Automotive Technology | 104 | Unlock company profile |
| Shanghai dianba new energy technology | 69 | Unlock company profile |
| Renault | 62 | Unlock company profile |
| Honda Motor | 51 | Unlock company profile |
| NIO | 50 | Unlock company profile |
| Gogoro | 47 | Unlock company profile |
| NIO (Anhui) Holdings | 39 | Unlock company profile |
| Zhejiang Geely Holding Group | 29 | Unlock company profile |
| Bozhon Precision Work Technology | 25 | Unlock company profile |
| Beijing Automotive Group | 22 | Unlock company profile |
| Porsche Automobil Holding | 21 | Unlock company profile |
| Neuron Mobility | 18 | Unlock company profile |
| China Electronics Technology Group | 13 | Unlock company profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 13 | Unlock company profile |
| Wenzhou Ruichu Technology | 12 | Unlock company profile |
| Tanktwo | 12 | Unlock company profile |
| Continental | 10 | Unlock company profile |
| Ford Motor | 10 | Unlock company profile |
| AutoStore Holdings | 9 | Unlock company profile |
| Lifan Technology Group | 9 | Unlock company profile |
| Sogrepar | 9 | Unlock company profile |
| Gottwald Port Technology | 9 | Unlock company profile |
| Midea Holding | 8 | Unlock company profile |
| Thunder Power Hong Kong | 8 | Unlock company profile |
| TIER Mobility | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| Radiation and Environmental Science Centre | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| Chengdu Skylin Technology | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| Sany Group | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Toyota Motor | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Panasonic | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Epiroc | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Nidec | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Crown Equipment | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| SZ DJI Technology | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| Walmart | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| Toroidion | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| Shandong Heavy Industry Group | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| Detroit Electric | 5 | Unlock company profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Nio, with 117 patents, is one of the top companies to file for vehicle battery exchange platforms patents. The company provides a portable internet-based power solution through its extensive network of battery charging and battery swap facilities. It offers a power service system with rechargeable, swappable, and upgradeable batteries, enhanced by Power Cloud, to give users access to power services that are suitable for all scenarios. Toyota, Honda, and Nidec are a few other notable patent filers in the same industry.
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.
