HVDC Transmission for EV Charging Patent Landscape 2026
HVDC Transmission for EV Charging Patent Landscape in 2026
The HVDC transmission for EV charging field is in a Growth stage, with the recent three-year window sitting well above the prior period, though annual volume has eased from its 2022 peak. ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG holds the leading position among a moderately concentrated set of applicants, with grid-systems and power-conversion patents forming the dominant technical core.
ABB leads a moderately concentrated field with a clear tier gap
ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG ranks first with 11 patent families, followed closely by HITACHI ENERGY LTD with 10 and UT BATTELLE LLC with 8. The top five filers collectively account for 36% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signaling moderate concentration rather than a monopoly.
A distinct first tier of infrastructure specialists — ABB, Hitachi Energy, and UT Battelle — is followed by a second tier of individual inventors, energy-storage startups, and academic institutions. The gap between tiers one and two is meaningful but not insurmountable for a well-resourced entrant.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ABB (Schweiz) AG | 11 | |
| 2 | Hitachi Energy Ltd | 10 | |
| 3 | UT-Battelle LLC | 8 | |
| 4 | Rajiv Kumar Varma | 6 | |
| 5 | The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | 5 | |
| 6 | Our Next Energy Inc | 5 | |
| 7 | Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG | 5 | |
| 8 | Turbo Power Systems | 4 | |
| 9 | Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives | 4 | |
| 10 | Ford Global Technologies LLC | 4 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co Ltd | 3 | |
| 12 | LG Innotek Co Ltd | 2 | |
| 13 | Nanyang Technological University | 2 | |
| 14 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka | 2 | |
| 15 | Veerabhadra Elite Electrodynamic Solutions LLP | 2 | |
| 16 | Shivam Prakash Gautam | 2 | |
| 17 | Joule Case Inc | 2 | |
| 18 | Arrival Ltd | 2 | |
| 19 | Korea Railroad Research Institute | 2 | |
| 20 | Easy Smart Grid | 2 |
ABB and Hitachi Energy’s parallel emphasis on power-supply and grid-systems technology (H02J) suggests the incumbent advantage is strongest in grid-interface and converter topology, the most filing-intensive segment of the space.
Patent publications typically lag filings by 18–24 months, so activity for 2024–2026 is materially under-counted; the corpus should be treated as a conservative lower bound for very recent entrants. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing activity surged after 2020; grid-systems patents dominate the mix
Two charts together reveal where the field has been investing and how that focus is distributed across technology branches, providing a baseline for spotting gaps and momentum.
Annual filing trend
Filings were sparse through 2019, then accelerated sharply from 2020 onward, peaking in 2022 before easing. The 2024–2026 bars are substantially under-counted due to publication lag and should not be read as a genuine decline; the field remains in net growth on a multi-year basis.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H02J (Power supply and grid systems) is the dominant branch by a wide margin, reflecting the centrality of grid-interface design. H02M (Power conversion) and B60L (Electric vehicle propulsion) form a secondary cluster, while branches such as H01L (Semiconductor devices), H01M (Batteries), and G05B (Control systems) each hold single-digit counts — pointing to areas of relative sparsity adjacent to the core.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Electric vehicle charging apparatus
An electric vehicle charging controller according to an embodiment comprises: a first sensor for measuring a second voltage value between a first battery having a first voltage value and a relay in a high voltage line connected to electric vehicle charging equipment; a second sensor for measuring a third voltage value between the electric vehicle charging… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medium voltage stand alone DC fast charger | 61 |
| 2 | Battery pre-heating prior to fast charge | 53 |
| 3 | A multi-functional electric vehicle charging devic… | 17 |
| 4 | Multivariable modulator controller for power gener… | 16 |
| 5 | Grid forming vector current control | 15 |
| 6 | Electric vehicle charging apparatus | 15 |
| 7 | Battery charging devices, battery charging methods… | 15 |
| 8 | Method to reduce losses in a high voltage DC link … | 14 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the patent structure means for R&D investment decisions
The combination of a Growth lifecycle, a moderate concentration ratio, active co-filing between the two largest players, and a US-dominant jurisdiction profile shapes both the risk and the opportunity for new entrants.
Growth stage with annual volume easing from a 2022 peak
The field is classified as Growth: the most recent three-year filing window is 176% above the prior three-year window, confirming genuine multi-year expansion. Annual output has eased from its 2022 high, though publication lag means the true recent count is higher than the raw data shows. This profile suggests the core technical architecture is solidifying but still being contested.
Growth · easing from 2022 peakModerate concentration with a clear incumbent tier
The top five filers hold 36% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — concentrated enough that incumbents (ABB, Hitachi Energy) set de-facto standards, yet open enough for challengers. UT BATTELLE LLC’s third-place position adds a national-laboratory dimension that could complicate freedom-to-operate in grid-interface subfields. Individual inventors and startups in ranks four through ten indicate the space remains accessible to non-incumbents.
Moderate concentrationABB and Hitachi Energy co-file actively, forming a tight bilateral cluster
The most active co-filing relationship in the corpus is between ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG and HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG with 7 joint filings, with a further 2 filings linking ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG and HITACHI ENERGY LTD, and 2 more between the two Hitachi Energy entities. This tight bilateral cluster around the top-two ranked applicants suggests joint IP development that could create layered cross-licensing requirements for third parties entering grid-interface converter technology.
ABB–Hitachi bilateral clusterUS-centric filing with selective PCT and European coverage
The United States is the primary filing jurisdiction, followed by WIPO (PCT) and Europe (EPO), with India also showing notable activity. China carries only a small share of records despite being a major EV market, suggesting either a deliberate filing gap or early-stage coverage that may not yet be published. Entrants planning to commercialize in Asia should assess freedom-to-operate there independently.
US-centric; India notableGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG | 7 |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Hitachi Energy Ltd | 2 |
| Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG | Hitachi Energy Ltd | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
ABB and Hitachi Energy anchor the field; OUR NEXT ENERGY is the strongest emerging challenger
The ranking is led by two incumbent power-infrastructure specialists whose portfolios center on grid-systems and control technology, followed by a battery-startup entrant pivoting into HVDC-enabled charging architecture.
ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG
ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG holds 11 patent families, the largest portfolio in the corpus, with technology focus concentrated in H02J 3 (grid power systems), H02M 3 (DC power conversion), and G05B 19 (control and regulating systems). The momentum indicator shows a ‘new entrant’ trend in the recent window, reflecting recent filing activity against no prior-period baseline in this specific sub-field. Co-filing with Hitachi Energy entities deepens its grid-interface position.
families: 11OUR NEXT ENERGY INC
OUR NEXT ENERGY INC holds 5 patent families in the ranking and shows a ‘new entrant’ momentum trend with 8 recent-window filings, the highest recent-period count among all applicants tracked for momentum. Its technology emphasis spans H02J 3 (grid systems), B60L 53, and B60L 55 (EV propulsion and charging) — a broader system-level approach that spans grid interface through vehicle integration, differentiating it from the incumbent infrastructure specialists.
families: 5| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Our Next Energy Inc | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
| UT-Battelle LLC | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
| Rajiv Kumar Varma | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Hitachi Energy Ltd | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC branches appear at low counts relative to the dominant H02J core, representing areas of relative sparsity adjacent to the field’s technical center. Whether each represents a genuine entry opportunity depends on technical relevance and freedom-to-operate — these are observations, not validated opportunities.
H01L · Semiconductor Devices
With only 6 patent records, semiconductor-device patents are sparse despite wide-bandgap devices (SiC, GaN) being a key enabler of high-efficiency HVDC converters for fast charging. The low count suggests most players are licensing or purchasing power semiconductors rather than patenting them. An entrant with proprietary SiC/GaN device technology could build a differentiated position here, provided device-level patents are not already locked up by semiconductor specialists outside this specific corpus.
Search this in Eureka →G05B · Control & Regulating Systems
Only 4 patent records sit in G05B (control and regulating systems), despite adaptive control being central to HVDC grid-stability and dynamic charging-rate management. The branch is adjacent to the dominant H02J core and has plausible technical value for grid-forming and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. A focused filing program in advanced control algorithms for HVDC charging stations could occupy largely uncontested ground, though applicants should verify whether relevant control IP is captured under H02J sub-classes rather than G05B.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H02J 3 · Power supply & grid systems | H02J 7 · Power supply & grid systems | H02M 3 · Power conversion (AC/DC etc.) | H02M 7 · Power conversion (AC/DC etc.) | B60L 53 · Electric vehicle propulsion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Next Energy Inc | Strong · 9 | Strong · 5 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 7 |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Strong · 13 | Absent | Moderate · 4 | Absent | Absent |
| Rajiv Kumar Varma | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 4 | Absent |
| Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| UT-Battelle LLC | Strong · 8 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| National Institute of Technology Karnataka | Absent | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus analyzed covers 94 patent families. The United States is the primary filing jurisdiction, with WIPO (PCT) and Europe (EPO) also receiving significant coverage.
ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG holds the largest portfolio with 11 patent families, followed by HITACHI ENERGY LTD with 10 and UT BATTELLE LLC with 8.
The field is classified as Growth: recent three-year filings are 176% above the prior three-year window. Annual volume has eased from its 2022 peak, and the most recent years are further understated by publication lag, so the underlying trajectory remains upward on a multi-year basis.
H02J (Power supply and grid systems) is the dominant branch, followed by H02M (Power conversion) and B60L (Electric vehicle propulsion). These three branches form the technical core of the field.
Yes. The most active co-filing pair is ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG and HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG with 7 joint filings. ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG and HITACHI ENERGY LTD share 2 joint filings, and the two Hitachi Energy entities share a further 2. This bilateral cluster concentrates IP around the two largest portfolio holders.
The sparsest adjacent branches relative to the H02J core are H01L (Semiconductor devices, 6 records), H01M (Batteries and fuel cells, 5 records), G05B (Control and regulating systems, 4 records), and H03K (Pulse technique and logic circuits, 5 records). Wide-bandgap semiconductor devices and advanced HVDC control algorithms appear particularly under-served given their technical importance to the application.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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