Sodium-Ion Battery Patent Landscape 2026
Sodium-Ion Battery Patent Landscape in 2026
The sodium-ion battery field is in a rapid growth phase, with CATL and its affiliates commanding a structurally dominant position among the top 100 filers. China is the primary jurisdiction for prosecution, and the competitive field is expanding quickly, with annual filings still rising on a multi-year basis.
CATL and affiliates dominate a highly concentrated field
Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited ranks first among all applicants, followed by its parent entity Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd in second place. Together with affiliated entities, the CATL group holds a commanding position at the top of the ranking.
The top five filers account for 42% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signaling a tight oligopoly at the summit. A substantial tier gap separates the CATL cluster from the next tier of academic and specialist filers such as Central South University, Ningde Amperex Technology, and Toyota.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | 2,869 | |
| 2 | Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | 1,197 | |
| 3 | Central South University | 321 | |
| 4 | Ningde Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) | 265 | |
| 5 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 240 | |
| 6 | SHAANXI UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 208 | |
| 7 | Shenzhen JanaEnergy Technology Co., Ltd. | 194 | |
| 8 | Faradion Ltd | 186 | |
| 9 | Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | 185 | |
| 10 | Liyang Hina Battery Technology Co., Ltd. | 175 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Hunan Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | 174 | |
| 12 | Sharp Corporation | 148 | |
| 13 | French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) | 136 | |
| 14 | Echion Technologies Ltd | 135 | |
| 15 | Beijing Institute of Technology | 134 | |
| 16 | Central Glass Co., Ltd. | 131 | |
| 17 | Honeycomb Battery Company | 130 | |
| 18 | Guangdong University of Technology | 115 | |
| 19 | Jiangsu Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. | 113 | |
| 20 | Jiangsu Zenio New Energy Battery Technology Co., Ltd. | 103 |
CATL’s multi-entity filing structure — spanning Hong Kong, mainland. China, and subsidiary brands — suggests deliberate portfolio architecture to maximize global coverage and defensive depth. Challengers are predominantly Chinese universities and emerging pure-play sodium-ion startups, with Toyota as the leading non-Chinese incumbent.
The most recent 18–24 months of data are subject to publication lag and likely understate true filing volume; trend reads for 2025 and 2026 should be treated as provisional. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings have surged since 2021; core cell chemistry dominates the technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals a pronounced inflection starting in 2021, while the technology composition shows heavy concentration in core battery and inorganic chemistry classes with a long tail of adjacent branches.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings roughly doubled between 2019 and 2021, then surged again in 2022 and 2023. The apparent plateauing in 2024 and the drop in 2025 reflect publication lag rather than a real slowdown; the field’s multi-year growth rate stands at 215%. The 2026 figure represents only a partial year and should not be read as a trend.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) is overwhelmingly dominant, confirming that most activity targets core cell design. C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) and C01G (compounds of other metals) form a substantial secondary cluster focused on active-material synthesis. Branches such as B82Y (nanotechnology), H01G (capacitors), H02J (power supply and grid systems), and B60L (electric vehicle propulsion) appear at much lower shares, pointing to areas where IP coverage is relatively sparse.
↗ 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.
Mono-crystalline Cathode Material for Sodium-ion B…
The present invention relates to a mono-crystalline cathode material for sodium-ion battery and a preparation method and application thereof. The mono-crystalline cathode material for a sodium ion battery contains the chemical formula of Na<sub>1+a</sub>Ni<sub>1-x-y-z-c</sub>Mn<sub>x</sub>Fe<sub>y</sub>M<sub>z</sub>N<sub>c</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, wherein… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nano-engineered coatings for anode active material… | 285 |
| 2 | Bipolar battery and related method | 227 |
| 3 | Electrochemical hydrogen-catalyst power system | 218 |
| 4 | Sodium ion batteries | 196 |
| 5 | Multi-shell structures and fabrication methods for… | 189 |
| 6 | Nanocomposite battery electrode particles with cha… | 179 |
| 7 | Zinc Ion-Exchanging Energy Storage Device | 169 |
| 8 | Non-flammable quasi-solid electrolyte and non-lith… | 156 |
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 strategy
China-centered jurisdictional profile creates a specific set of strategic implications for R&D teams and technology investors.
Growth stage: filings still accelerating on a multi-year basis
The lifecycle evidence classifies sodium-ion batteries as a Growth-stage technology, with annual filings still rising and a 215% expansion over the recent window. The 2023 peak of 3,903 filings and the strong 2024 reading confirm sustained momentum. Entry is still possible, but foundational claims in cell chemistry are increasingly occupied by the leading filers.
Growth stageOligopoly at the top, open competition in the middle tiers
The top five applicants hold 42% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, with CATL-affiliated entities alone accounting for the top two ranked positions. Below rank five, the field opens up across Chinese universities, European specialists such as Faradion and Echion Technologies, and Japanese incumbents, offering more room for differentiated positioning. New entrants focused on adjacent material classes or application-layer IP face less direct head-to-head competition.
High concentrationCo-filing concentrated within CATL’s supply-chain network and specialist clusters
The most active co-filing pairs are Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology and Hunan Brunp Recycling Technology (170 joint families), with Hunan Brunp EV Recycling closely linked to both. This Brunp cluster forms CATL’s recycling affiliate network. A separate cluster connects Liyang Hina Battery Tech and Beijing Hina Battery Tech (19 joint families), while Shenzhen JanaEnergy and Wuhan JanaEnergy co-file 18 families. CATL itself co-files with Jiangsu Contemporary Amperex Tech (17 families) and Shenzhen Times Future Energy Technology (12 families).
Ecosystem clustersChina-dominant filing; US and EPO are meaningful secondary markets
China accounts for the largest share of patent records, with the United States and EPO forming significant secondary jurisdictions. WIPO PCT filings indicate applicants are actively seeking international protection beyond domestic markets. Japan and South Korea have relatively modest presence despite hosting major battery incumbents, suggesting selective rather than blanket prosecution strategies outside China. Entrants should prioritize China, US, and EPO prosecution for competitive parity.
China-dominantGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | Hunan Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | 170 |
| Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | Hunan Brunp EV Recycling Co., Ltd. | 94 |
| Hunan Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | Hunan Brunp EV Recycling Co., Ltd. | 88 |
| Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | Hunan Brunp EV Recycling Co., Ltd. | 38 |
| Hunan Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | Hunan Brunp EV Recycling Co., Ltd. | 36 |
| Liyang Hina Battery Technology Co., Ltd. | Beijing Hina Battery Technology Co., Ltd. | 19 |
| Shenzhen JanaEnergy Technology Co., Ltd. | Wuhan JanaEnergy Technology Co., Ltd. | 18 |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | Jiangsu Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. | 17 |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | Shenzhen Times Future Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | 12 |
| Shenzhen JanaEnergy Technology Co., Ltd. | Zigong JanaEnergy New Material Technology Co., Ltd. | 9 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
CATL’s multi-entity group leads; Toyota is the principal non-Chinese incumbent
The top of the ranking is defined by CATL’s deliberate multi-entity portfolio structure, while a second tier of Chinese universities and specialist startups is filing aggressively. Toyota is the highest-ranked non-Chinese applicant.
Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited
The top-ranked entity holds 2,869 patent families, more than double the next-ranked entity. Its recent-period filings show a strong upward trajectory at +98% versus the prior three-year window for the parent group, with the Hong Kong entity alone recording 8.5× growth versus its prior three-year base — consistent with a deliberate restructuring of international filing through the Hong Kong vehicle. The technology emphasis spans core H01M cell design and C01G/C01B active-material classes.
families: 2,869Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota ranks fifth among all applicants with 240 patent families, making it the highest-ranked non-Chinese applicant and the principal Japanese incumbent. Its recent momentum shows a modest –12% versus its prior three-year period, suggesting a measured rather than accelerating posture — likely reflecting its primary focus on solid-state lithium technology with sodium-ion as a secondary track. It is followed by Sharp Corporation at 148 families among Japanese filers.
families: 240| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | 1,661 | ▲ +98% |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | 568 | ▲ 8.5× vs prior 3-yr |
| Central South University | 114 | ▲ +107% |
| Shaanxi University of Science and Technology | 19 | ▼ -74% |
| Ningde Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) | 160 | ▲ 13× vs prior 3-yr |
| Toyota Motor Corporation | 53 | ▼ -12% |
| Shenzhen JanaEnergy Technology Co., Ltd. | 127 | ▲ new entrant |
| Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. | 159 | ▲ 9.9× vs prior 3-yr |
Under-served branches at the intersection of systems and nanotechnology
Beyond the dominant H01M core, several IPC branches show relatively low patent-record counts despite plausible technical relevance to sodium-ion battery development, representing areas where IP coverage is comparatively sparse.
H02J · Power supply and grid systems
H02J records 317 patent-record counts against the much larger H01M core, indicating that grid-integration and battery-management-system IP for sodium-ion specifically is sparsely developed. Given sodium-ion’s cost and cycle-life profile, stationary storage and grid-balancing applications are a technically plausible entry path. Teams with grid-side BMS or energy-management expertise could file here with less head-to-head competition than in cell chemistry.
Search this in Eureka →B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
B82Y captures nanotechnology cross-classifications at 1,073 patent records, modest relative to the H01M total. Nano-engineered electrode architectures and nano-coatings for anode active materials are represented among the most-cited prior art in this corpus, confirming technical relevance. The relatively low filing density suggests that nano-structuring approaches specific to sodium-ion — rather than lithium-ion adapted techniques — remain an open area for differentiated positioning.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology branches
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01M 10 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 50 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C01B 32 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | C01G 53 · Compounds of other metals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) | Strong · 2,359 | Strong · 1,282 | Moderate · 1,040 | Absent | Emerging · 38 |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | Strong · 707 | Strong · 355 | Moderate · 312 | Absent | Absent |
| Central South University | Strong · 347 | Strong · 354 | Absent | Emerging · 63 | Emerging · 29 |
| Shaanxi University of Science and Technology | Strong · 237 | Strong · 257 | Absent | Emerging · 36 | Absent |
| Ningde Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) | Strong · 179 | Strong · 178 | Moderate · 72 | Absent | Absent |
| Toyota Motor Corporation | Strong · 191 | Strong · 162 | Emerging · 38 | Absent | Absent |
| Shenzhen JanaEnergy Technology Co., Ltd. | Strong · 161 | Strong · 157 | Absent | Moderate · 59 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus in scope covers 18,269 patent families globally, reflecting a field that has grown by 215% over the recent multi-year window.
Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited ranks first with 2,869 patent families, followed by its parent entity Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd with 1,197 patent families. Combined with affiliated entities, the CATL group holds a structurally dominant position.
China is the leading jurisdiction by patent-record count. The United States and EPO form meaningful secondary markets, with WIPO PCT filings indicating active international prosecution strategies.
The evidence classifies sodium-ion batteries as a Growth-stage technology. Annual filings are still rising on a multi-year basis, with a 215% growth rate over the recent window. The 2024 and 2025 figures are subject to publication lag and likely understate true activity.
Toyota Motor Corporation ranks fifth overall with 240 patent families, making it the highest-ranked non-Chinese applicant. Other notable non-Chinese filers include Faradion Ltd (186 families), Echion Technologies Ltd (135 families), Sharp Corporation (148 families), and the French National Centre for Scientific Research CNRS (136 families).
Relative to the dominant H01M core, branches such as H02J (power supply and grid systems, 317 records), B82Y (nanotechnology applications, 1,073 records), H01G (capacitors, 474 records), and C01C (ammonia and nitrogen compounds, 344 records) show comparatively sparse coverage, pointing to potential areas for differentiated filing strategies.
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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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.