TOKYO -- Chinese car and battery makers are outpacing their Japanese and U.S. rivals in the quality of their electric vehicle-related patents, opening up opportunities for them to license their technology in response to the U.S. tariff threat, according to a Tokyo-based think tank.
Chinese companies, such as Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) and BYD, hold relatively few patents, according to Mitsui & Co. Global Strategic Studies Institute (MGSSI), the Japanese conglomerate's in-house think tank. However, they score highly on technological influence, as measured by number of citations and remaining life until expiry.
