The Chinese battery manufacturer leads with 26,574 patent families, supported by substantial research investment and rapid advances in power and solid-state battery technologies.
China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) has surpassed South Korea’s LG Energy Solution to become the world’s leading company in battery patent holdings, highlighting China’s growing influence in the global battery technology sector.
According to data released on October 6 by intellectual property consulting firm PatSnap, CATL recorded 26,574 simple patent families between October 2016 and September 2026. This places it ahead of LG Energy Solution, which holds 22,597 patent families, creating a gap of nearly 4,000.
Simple patent families group patent applications covering the same core invention across different countries or regions. This method provides a clearer comparison of companies’ technological contributions while avoiding duplicate counting of identical inventions.
CATL Strengthens Its Position in Battery Innovation
The latest rankings reflect a significant shift in the battery industry, where Japanese and South Korean manufacturers historically held leading positions in research and development. LG Energy Solution now ranks second, while Panasonic has dropped out of the top ten with 4,994 patents. Toyota remains the only Japanese company among the leading ten.
CATL’s growing patent portfolio is backed by substantial research spending. The company has invested more than 100 billion yuan, equivalent to approximately $14.9 billion, in cumulative research and development.
PatSnap data further indicates that CATL holds 27,402 battery patents overall, including 16,722 filed during the past three years. These recent filings account for 61% of its total portfolio, demonstrating the pace of its technological expansion.
Power Battery Patents Lead the Industry
CATL has established a particularly strong position in power battery technology, holding 19,539 patents. Its portfolio is approximately 2.2 times larger than that of the second-ranked domestic competitor.
During the past three years, CATL filed 12,084 power battery patents, significantly exceeding the 4,384 recorded by its closest domestic rival. Its recent filings also approach the combined 14,500 patents held by companies ranked second through fifth.
Solid-State Battery Research Gains Momentum
CATL is also expanding its presence in solid-state battery development, a technology widely viewed as important for the next generation of energy storage.
The company holds 3,538 patents in this field, more than twice the total of its second-ranked domestic competitor. Of these, 2,763 were filed during the last three years, nearly matching the combined 2,891 patents recorded by domestic companies ranked second through tenth.
The figures underline CATL’s growing technological lead and the increasingly prominent role of Chinese manufacturers in shaping the future of battery innovation.