Li-Ion Capacitor Electrolyte Patent Landscape 2026
Li-ion capacitor electrolyte is a growth-stage field dominated by a concentrated set of applicants—Subaru Corporation holds a commanding share, with the United States as the primary filing jurisdiction. On a multi-year basis the field has expanded sharply, though annual volume has eased from its 2022 peak, and coverage remains modest enough that new entrants can still identify defensible positions.
Subaru leads a concentrated but still-forming field
Subaru Corporation (SUBARU CORP) sits atop the ranking, followed by Semicon Energy Lab and Corning Inc—each at seven patent records—and Tadiran Batteries at six. The top five filers account for 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating moderate-to-high concentration for a field of this size.
The tier gap between Subaru and the rest is pronounced: Subaru’s 18 patent records are more than double the next-ranked applicants. Below the top five, scores of smaller players—startups, universities, and national institutes—hold two to four records each, suggesting the challenger tier is fragmented.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subaru Corporation | 18 | |
| 2 | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd | 7 | |
| 3 | Corning Incorporated | 7 | |
| 4 | Tadiran Batteries Ltd | 6 | |
| 5 | Florida State University Research Foundation Inc | 4 | |
| 6 | SPEL Technologies Pte Ltd | 4 | |
| 7 | GODI INDIA PVT LTD | 4 | |
| 8 | National Institute for Materials Science | 4 | |
| 9 | Sanyo Electric Co Ltd | 4 | |
| 10 | Ningbo CRRC New Energy Technology Co Ltd | 4 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd | 3 | |
| 12 | DKS Co Ltd | 3 | |
| 13 | Sony Group Corporation | 3 | |
| 14 | Nicoventures Trading Ltd | 3 | |
| 15 | General Capacitor LLC | 3 | |
| 16 | D Y Patil Education Society (Deemed University) | 2 | |
| 17 | Musashi Energy Solutions Co Ltd | 2 | |
| 18 | Panasonic Holdings Corporation | 2 | |
| 19 | Sanyo Chemical Industries Ltd | 2 | |
| 20 | Espec Corporation | 2 |
Subaru’s position, combined with its focus on capacitor-specific IPC classes, implies a vertical integration strategy covering both device architecture and electrolyte chemistry. Challengers such as Semicon Energy Lab and Corning each bring distinct technology emphases—organic compound chemistry and capacitor materials respectively—that could enable differentiated competitive entries.
The most recent 18–24 months of data are subject to publication lag and likely undercount actual filing activity; treat apparent softness in 2024–2026 as an artifact of that lag rather than a real slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2022 activity surge and a technology mix anchored in capacitor and battery IPC classes
The annual filing trend reveals a field that accelerated sharply into 2022 and has since eased, while the technology composition chart shows strong concentration in capacitor and battery classifications with a long tail of adjacent branches.
Annual filing trend
Filings were negligible in 2017, climbed to an early secondary peak of 11 records in 2018, dipped through 2019–2020, then surged to 12 records in 2022—the highest single-year count on record. Post-2022 figures decline through 2025–2026, but this reflects publication lag rather than a genuine contraction; the three-year recent window still sits 138% above the prior equivalent window.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01G (Capacitors) and H01M (Batteries, cells and fuel cells) together account for the large majority of IPC classifications, confirming that electrolyte work is firmly anchored in device-level engineering. A smaller cluster in C01B (inorganic compounds), C07C (acyclic compounds), and C07D (heterocyclic compounds) reflects upstream electrolyte chemistry work, while B82Y (nanotechnology) and B60L (electric vehicle propulsion) mark the field’s connections to materials science and end-use applications.
↗ 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.
Power storage device, lithium-ion secondary batter…
One object is to provide a power storage device including an electrolyte using a room-temperature ionic liquid which includes a univalent anion and a cyclic quaternary ammonium cation having excellent reduction resistance. Another object is to provide a high-performance power storage device. A room-temperature ionic liquid which includes a cyclic quaternary… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power storage device, lithium-ion secondary batter… | 59 |
| 2 | Method of negative electrode pre-lithiation for li… | 52 |
| 3 | Entire solid lithium secondary battery | 44 |
| 4 | Lithium secondary battery | 43 |
| 5 | Lithium secondary battery | 35 |
| 6 | Lithium-ion capacitor | 33 |
| 7 | Lithium ion capacitors and methods of production | 29 |
| 8 | Lithium-ion capacitor | 25 |
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 competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Three structural features—growth-stage lifecycle, a single dominant applicant, a documented collaboration node, and US-centric jurisdiction coverage—define the strategic context for any new entrant or incumbent expanding in this space.
Growth stage with annual volume easing from a 2022 peak
The field is classified as Growth: the recent three-year filing window is 138% above the prior equivalent window, confirming multi-year expansion. However, annual volume has eased from its 2022 peak, so incremental year-on-year momentum has slowed. Publication lag means 2024–2026 counts are understated and should not be read as a contraction.
Growth stageOne dominant applicant with a fragmented challenger tier
Subaru Corporation’s 18 patent records give it a lead roughly 2.5 times the size of any single challenger. The top five filers collectively represent 34% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. The broad base of two-to-four-record holders below them means the challenger tier is structurally vulnerable to consolidation—or to a well-resourced new entrant acquiring a position quickly.
ConcentratedOne confirmed co-filing pair: General Capacitor and Florida State University
The only documented collaboration in the corpus is between General Capacitor LLC and the Florida State University Research Foundation, which have co-filed three patent records together. This academia-industry link points to active technology transfer from university research into commercial electrolyte development. No other multi-party co-filing clusters are evidenced, suggesting collaboration activity is nascent.
Academia-industryUS-dominant coverage with meaningful Japan and China secondary positions
The United States leads jurisdiction coverage at 42 patent records, followed by Japan at 21 and China at 14. Europe (EPO) reaches 10 records, and India and South Korea each reach 9. PCT filings stand at 8, indicating that some applicants are pursuing broad international coverage but many are not. Gaps in Southeast Asia and Latin America represent uncontested white space for IP strategy.
US-ledGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| General Capacitor LLC | Florida State University Research Foundation Inc | 3 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Subaru leads on capacitor IP; Semicon Energy Lab differentiates through organic electrolyte chemistry
The two leading applicants occupy clearly distinct technology niches: Subaru concentrates on capacitor device engineering (H01G) while Semicon Energy Lab’s portfolio is anchored in acyclic and heterocyclic organic compound chemistry directly relevant to electrolyte formulation.
Subaru Corporation
Subaru Corporation holds 18 patent records—the highest count in the corpus—concentrated in H01G 11 (capacitors), H01G 9 (capacitors), and H01M 10 (batteries and fuel cells). This cross-class coverage indicates an integrated approach spanning both the energy storage device and its electrochemical interface. Applicant momentum data is not available in the current evidence set, so trajectory direction cannot be independently confirmed.
families: 18Semicon Energy Lab Co Ltd
Semicon Energy Lab Co Ltd holds seven patent records, with its technology focus spanning C07C 311 (acyclic and carbocyclic compounds), C07D 211 (heterocyclic compounds), and H01G 11 (capacitors)—a profile that differentiates it from the device-centric leader by emphasizing upstream electrolyte molecule design. This chemistry-first positioning offers a potential licensing or partnership angle for device manufacturers. Applicant-level momentum data is not available in the current evidence set.
families: 7Under-served IPC branches adjacent to the dominant capacitor-battery core
Several IPC classes appear at the margins of the corpus with low record counts relative to the dominant H01G and H01M branches; these represent observations of relative sparsity rather than confirmed opportunities, though some carry plausible technical rationale for investment.
B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
With only four patent records and a 2% share, nanotechnology applications in li-ion capacitor electrolyte remain sparsely filed. Nanostructured electrolyte materials and nano-porous separator coatings are technically plausible routes to higher ionic conductivity and improved thermal stability—attributes directly relevant to capacitor performance. The National Institute for Materials Science is the primary evidence-holder here, suggesting an academic-to-commercial transfer path. Entry would likely require partnership with a materials-focused institute or acquisition of a nano-materials portfolio.
Search this in Eureka →C01B · Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds
Eight patent records and a 4% share place inorganic compound chemistry as the largest of the adjacent branches, yet it remains well below the dominant device-level classes. Inorganic solid or quasi-solid electrolyte precursors—such as boron-, phosphorus-, or silicon-based compounds—are directly relevant to next-generation all-solid or hybrid li-ion capacitor architectures. Sanyo Electric Co Ltd and the National Institute for Materials Science both show presence here, providing reference points for the state of the art. A focused inorganic-chemistry research program could establish a defensible position that complements rather than competes with the dominant device-IP holders.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01G 11 · Capacitors | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01G 9 · Capacitors | H01M 6 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Corporation | Strong · 18 | Moderate · 7 | Moderate · 6 | Strong · 14 | Absent |
| Tadiran Batteries Ltd | Absent | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Strong · 5 |
| Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd | Strong · 7 | Strong · 7 | Absent | Moderate · 2 | Absent |
| Ningbo CRRC New Energy Technology Co Ltd | Strong · 4 | Strong · 4 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent |
| Sony Group Corporation | Absent | Strong · 5 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Strong · 3 |
| GODI INDIA PVT LTD | Strong · 4 | Strong · 4 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Corning Incorporated | Strong · 5 | Absent | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The current corpus contains 44 patent families in scope. This is a relatively small field, reflecting its specialist nature at the intersection of capacitor engineering and lithium-ion electrochemistry.
Subaru Corporation leads with 18 patent records, more than double the count of any single challenger. Semicon Energy Lab Co Ltd and Corning Inc each hold seven patent records, placing them jointly in second position.
The United States leads with 42 patent records, followed by Japan at 21 and China at 14. Europe (EPO) accounts for 10 records, and both India and South Korea hold 9 records each. PCT filings stand at 8, indicating selective but not universal international prosecution strategies.
The field is classified as Growth. Recent three-year filings are 138% above the prior equivalent three-year window, confirming multi-year expansion. Annual volume peaked in 2022 at 12 records and has eased since then; the apparent decline in 2024–2026 is substantially attributable to publication lag.
One confirmed collaboration is evidenced: General Capacitor LLC and the Florida State University Research Foundation have co-filed three patent records together. No other multi-party co-filing clusters appear in the current evidence set.
B82Y (nanotechnology applications) accounts for only 4 patent records and a 2% share, and C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) holds 8 records at a 4% share—both well below the dominant H01G and H01M classes. C07C and C07D (organic compound chemistry) also show sparse coverage at 7 records each, notable given their direct relevance to electrolyte molecular design.
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