Based on three major dimensions—technology, economics, and legal, the "2025 Automotive Patent Innovation Index" provides a comprehensive evaluation of both the quantity and quality of corporate patents with 16 refined indicators such as technical field, technical effect, technical method, patent family, citations, licensing, transfers, and pledges, aiming to objectively and holistically reflect the innovation capabilities of automotive enterprises, offering crucial data support and decision-making references for corporate R&D and intellectual property strategy.

1.  In the top 10 overall ranking of independent vehicle groups, BYD, Dongfeng Motor, and Great Wall Holdings secured the top 3 positions.

2.  In the top 10 comprehensive ranking for Intelligent and Connected Vehicle (ICV) field among Independent Vehicle Groups, Dongfeng Motor ranked first, followed by Geely Holding Group and China Changan Automobile Group.

3.  In the top 10 comprehensive ranking for New Energy Vehicle (NEV) area among Independent Vehicle Groups, BYD, Great Wall Holdings, and BAIC Group took the top 3 spots.

4.  In the annual top 10 ranking of independent vehicle groups, Seres Group is nominated in top 10, improving significantly.

5.  In the top 30 overall ranking of independent innovation entities, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), a leading power battery manufacturer, entered the top 3, and vehicle manufacturers occupied 7 of the top 10, showing that OEMs with deep technological and patent accumulations are still force at the core of industrial innovation.

6.  In the annual top 30 ranking of independent innovation entities, traditional automakers like BYD Company Ltd., Great Wall Motor Company Ltd., and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. took 6 of the top 10. Core component suppliers, represented by CATL and SVOLT Energy Technology Co., Ltd., also ranked high. New players like Voyah Automobile Technology Co., Ltd., Xiaomi Automobile Technology Co., Ltd., and Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co., Ltd. were also listed in the Top 30, indicating a synergistic innovation ecosystem in the current automotive industry, characterized by multi-party advancement and deep integration among traditional OEMs, key suppliers, and emerging brands.

7.  In the top 30 overall ranking of foreign innovation entities, Toyota Motor Corporation continued to rank first with vehicle manufacturers taking 7 of the top 10 spots, highlighting the dominant role of traditional OEMs in patent innovation. Meanwhile, core component companies like Robert Bosch GmbH and Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd. also ranked high, showing an active competitive landscape involving both vehicle and component manufacturers among foreign innovators.

8.  Among the top 30 annual ranking of innovation entities in the ICV field, Chinese companies occupied four 4 positions in the top 10, with annual scores very close to those of leading foreign companies, demonstrating the innovation vitality and catch-up momentum of Chinese enterprises in this critical technological area.

9.  In the top 30 annual ranking of innovation entities in the NEV field, CATL retained its first-place position. Several foreign companies, including LG Energy Solution, Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, and Hyundai Motor Company, were in the top 10, revealing a fiercely competitive landscape with Chinese and foreign companies on the same stage. Furthermore, emerging brands like Deepal Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. and Voyah Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. entered the top 30 for the first time, indicating the continuous diversification of innovators and growing vitality in this field.

From AutoIP

December 26th, 2025