China leads world in quality of EV patents, says think tank

China leads world in quality of EV patents, says think tank China leads world in quality of EV patents, says think tank

TOKYO — Chinese car and battery makers are outpacing their Japanese and U.S. rivals in the quality of their electric vehicle-related patents, opening up opportunities for them to license their technology in response to the U.S. tariff threat, according to a Tokyo-based think tank.

Chinese companies, such as Contempor Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) and BYD, hold relatively few patents, according to Mitsui & Co. Global Strategic Studies Institute (MGSSI), the Japanese conglomerate’s in-house think tank. However, they score highly on technological influence, as measured by number of citations and remaining life until expiry.