Europe and US ‘risk falling behind in race for future EV battery technologies’

Europe and the United States risk losing the race for leadership in future battery technologies, according to a new international study, with Asian countries taking the lead in innovation.

Focused on next-generation batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), the research team from the University of Cambridge, the University of Münster in Germany and the nearby Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production analysed global competition by comparing patents and innovation strategies in various countries.

The researchers considered technologies for both high-energy and low-cost applications, identifying the technological priorities and innovation strategies of different regions (China, Japan, South Korea, Europe and the US).

“The study reveals an increasing polarisation between Asia and Western nations,” a research announcement said. It found that Asian countries are systematically focusing innovation efforts on future battery technologies, with Japan and South Korea particularly focused on high-energy batteries. China is addressing both application profiles, researchers found, also innovating in the field of low-cost batteries.

“Europe and the United States, on the other hand, are primarily advancing developments along the established lithium-ion battery value chain,” the announcement said.

The findings show a “divergence in regional strategies and priorities, which could widen the capability gap in future battery technologies and potentially undermine geostrategic autonomy,” the report authors wrote. The divergence might compromise the long-term competitiveness of the US and Europe, they added, “highlighting the need for better alignment between innovation efforts and long-term policy goals”.

“Europe and the United States need to urgently increase their investments in future battery value chains and promote the transfer of knowledge and technology with leading battery developers and manufacturers from Asia,” said Professor Stephan von Delft from the University of Münster.

The work was published in Energy & Environmental Science.