TOKYO -- Chinese companies have submitted more patent applications related to electric vehicle charging and battery swapping than rivals from any other country, achieving strides in key technologies to make the experience faster and more convenient.
Chinese businesses filed 41,011 patent applications in these areas from 2010 to 2022, Tokyo-based analytics company Patent Result reports.
Few Chinese companies ranked high individually. But the sheer number of players in the field meant they together filed roughly 50% more applications than Japanese companies, which came in second with 26,962.
"The EV market has swiftly become established in China, leading to greater competition between companies," said Hiroto Suzuki, managing partner at consulting firm Arthur D. Little's Tokyo office. "Ease of charging has become an important way to differentiate between different models."
Germany followed with 16,340, the U.S. with 14,325, then South Korea with 11,281.