Europe at risk of losing touch in the battery race

28.05.2025

Source: E & M powernews

A research team from Münster, Cambridge and Fraunhofer FFB has compared global patents for battery technologies. Europe and the USA are lagging behind, they conclude.

Next-generation battery technologies are seen as the key to the energy and mobility transition. On May 27, a research team from the University of Münster, the University of Cambridge and the Fraunhofer Research Fab Battery Cells (Fraunhofer FFB) presented a study comparing the innovation strategies of leading countries in battery technologies for electric vehicles. The title is: "The geostrategic race for leadership in future electric vehicle battery technologies".

The focus is on patent applications and political measures in China, Japan, South Korea, Europe and the USA. The researchers conclude that Europe and the USA are at risk of losing ground in international competition. The results of the study underline the growing gap in global innovation competition. While Asian countries are strategically aligning their innovation policy with future needs, Europe and the USA are at risk of falling behind technologically - with potential consequences for key industrial policy objectives.

Technology fields compared

The analysis distinguishes between two fields of technology: High-energy batteries with high energy density for high-performance applications and lower-cost batteries with lower performance for price-sensitive applications. According to the study, Asian countries - particularly China, Japan and South Korea - are consistently focusing on the development of future-proof technologies. In contrast, Europe and the USA are concentrating primarily on innovations within the established lithium-ion technology.
China is pursuing a dual approach to innovation: it is investing in both high-performance and low-cost storage solutions. Japan and South Korea, on the other hand, are focusing on specializing in high-energy batteries. According to the research team, Europe and the USA are focusing primarily on optimizing existing lithium-ion technology value chains. This strategic orientation could become a technological disadvantage in the long term.

Recommendations for research

"Europe and the USA should now rapidly ramp up their investments in future battery value chains and promote the transfer of knowledge and technology with leading battery developers and manufacturers from Asia," says Prof. Stephan von Delft, an industrial chemist at the University of Münster. The technological autonomy and competitiveness of the West is at stake - especially if Asian countries continue to expand their innovation leadership.

According to the study, both the number and the quality of patents provide information about a country's innovative strength. National funding programs and political priorities also shape the strategic direction of battery research. "Together, patents and innovation policy are well suited to assessing global positioning in battery technologies," explains André Hemmelder, PhD student at the University of Münster and lead author of the study.

Thestudy "The geostrategic race for leadership in future electric vehicle battery technologies" is available online.

Author: Susanne Harmsen