Chinese battery maker CATL has moved ahead of South Korea's LG Energy Solution to become the global leader in battery patent holdings. Data from patent consulting firm PatSnap covering October 2016 to September 2026 confirms this shift.
CATL now holds 26,574 simple patent families. LG Energy Solution holds 22,597.
Research and development spending at CATL has topped USD 14.9 billion. The company filed 16,722 patents in the last three years alone. This accounts for 61% of its total portfolio.
CATL also leads in specific battery categories:
- Power battery patents: 19,539 total.
- Solid-state battery patents: 3,538 total.
Solid-state technology is a major focus for the industry due to potential gains in safety and charging performance. While these figures show a significant change in the global landscape, large-scale commercial use of solid-state batteries remains a challenge for all manufacturers. CATL's rapid patent growth marks a shift in dominance from traditional Japanese and South Korean firms to Chinese leadership.
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