CATL Surpasses LG to Lead Battery Patent Rankings; Panasonic Drops Out, Toyota Remains Top Japanese Entrant

Image: Illustrative image · Aeroid · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Chinese company CATL has become the global leader in battery technology patents, exceeding LG Energy Solution's patent count. Panasonic has dropped from the top ten, while Toyota is the only Japanese firm in the list.

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has overtaken South Korea’s LG Energy Solution to claim the leading position worldwide in the number of patents in the battery industry. According to data from the PatSnap database covering the period from October 2016 to September 2026, CATL registered 26,574 patent families compared to LG’s 22,597.

Overall, CATL holds a portfolio of 27,402 patents related to battery technologies, with 16,722 granted within the last three years alone. Their patents in traction batteries total 19,539, which is more than double that of the nearest Chinese competitor. In the most recent three-year window, CATL filed 12,084 patents in this segment, far surpassing the next company’s 4,384.

CATL’s dominance is especially prominent in the solid-state battery sector, regarded as a promising technology for the industry’s future. The company possesses 3,538 relevant patents, over twice the amount held by its closest rival.

CATL has backed this strong patent performance with substantial investment, having poured over 100 billion yuan (approximately $14.9 billion) into research and development.

Meanwhile, Panasonic has fallen out of the global top ten leaders in battery patents. Toyota stands as the sole Japanese company remaining in the top ten list. These shifts highlight significant realignments in the competitive landscape of battery technology, driven by aggressive innovation and patenting strategies, particularly from Chinese players like CATL.