E-mobility is seen worldwide as a crucial technology for the future, and the race for innovation in battery technology and charging infrastructure is intensifying.
Especially in these two areas, the competition between the leading countries is fierce, and Germany also plays an important role in this. Although German car manufacturers such as Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz invest heavily in research and development, China's lead is becoming increasingly clear. Charging technology has developed internationally into the dominant research topic within e-mobility.
This is evident from the number of global patent applications, which has increased significantly in this area. Between 2016 and 2022, the number of applications for charging patents rose from 2.000 to almost 16.000. The figures also show that every second patent application in e-mobility now relates to the optimization of batteries and the expansion of charging stations. In 2014, charging technology accounted for only ten percent of patent applications, while that share has risen to 2022 percent in 39. Researchers are focusing on, among other things, the management of energy and data flows between cars and the energy grid, as well as the cooling of batteries in electric vehicles.
prominent role
Germany plays a prominent role in this field. In the global ranking, three German companies are in the top ten of largest patent applicants, with Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. However, the Japanese Toyota is the absolute leader. China is also strongly represented in the top ten, with companies such as Aulton, BYD and Beijing Electric Vehicle.
Filing patents is an essential step for companies to gain a competitive advantage. Patents are generally granted nationally, but can be extended worldwide after one year. German car manufacturers have significantly increased their patent applications, but China leads by a wide margin in the total number of applications. This is evident from a comprehensive analysis of patent applications by the Munich law firm Grünecker, which was shared exclusively with Handelsblatt. Despite the strong position of German industry in Europe, its influence on the world's largest e-mobility market, China, remains limited.
dense network
China has taken the lead in charging technology thanks to a dense network of car manufacturers, suppliers, universities and start-ups. According to Grünecker, Chinese companies now hold more than 62.000 patents in this field, a number that Jens Koch, head of the study, calls impressive. By comparison, there are only around 4.000 patent applications in this sector in Germany.
China's dominance on the domestic market is partly explained by the large-scale state support. The country has set itself the goal of playing a leading role in the global automotive industry through its lead in e-mobility. The focus here is primarily on charging stations and data communication with electric vehicles. "Their goal is the smart, communicating high-power pole," says Koch.
German manufacturers are also working closely with Chinese companies to strengthen their position in the market. For example, BMW has a joint venture with the Chinese Great Wall Motors for the production of electric Minis, which are produced for the global market. Audi goes even further: in November they will present electric cars that have been developed in collaboration with their Chinese partner Saic. Parent company Volkswagen is also seeking cooperation with the Chinese electric supplier Xpeng, and together they want to introduce two models for the middle class by 2026.
China is also strongly committed to swapping batteries instead of charging, a concept that has not yet gained much traction in Germany. Chinese companies, such as Aulton, have made this battery swapping concept a popular and widely used method. This makes Aulton the second largest applicant for charging-related patents worldwide.
dominance
China's dominance in battery and charging technology is increasingly forcing German industry to cooperate. For example, Chinese battery cell manufacturers CATL and Eve are the main suppliers of BMW's new generation of electric vehicles, which will be launched on the market from 2025. The global dependence on China in this area is leading to political tensions. For example, the European Union recently decided to impose import duties of up to 35,3 percent on Chinese electric cars in response to the Chinese government's state aid to their industry.
Interestingly, unlike countries like France, Germany voted against these tariffs. This is because many German automakers produce their electric vehicles in China for the European market, such as BMW, which produces the electric version of the iX3 in China for Europe.
