On May 4th, Beijing time, a report released by the Tokyo patent analysis company, Patent Result, showed that Chinese companies had submitted more patent applications related to electric vehicle charging and battery swapping than any other country. The report indicated that China had made significant progress in key technologies to improve charging speed and convenience. Additionally, these Chinese electric vehicle charging patents make electric vehicle charging faster and more convenient.
According to the report, Chinese companies have submitted 41,011 patent applications for electric vehicle charging patents from 2010 to 2022. Although few Chinese companies rank high, the large number of Chinese participants in this field has resulted in a total number of applications about 50% higher than those submitted by Japanese companies. Japan ranks second with 26,962 patents, followed by Germany with 16,340 patents, the United States with 14,325 patents, and South Korea with 11,281 patents.
Many Chinese companies seem to be focused on faster charging times, which is a crucial step in promoting the widespread adoption of EVs. Of the patents accumulated, 17% involve fast-charging technology. Additionally, 10% involve battery swapping technology, which is much higher than the 1% to 3% of Japanese, German, and American automakers. Other areas of interest for Chinese companies include the design and control of charging stations, power transmission, and wireless charging.
Hiroto Suzuki, Managing Partner of the Tokyo office of consulting firm Arthur D. Little, said, “The electric vehicle market is rapidly maturing in China, leading to intensified competition among companies. The convenience of charging has become an important way to differentiate between different vehicle models.”