Europe and USA in battery fight: Do you miss the future?

Europe and USA in battery fight: Do you miss the future?

Europe and the USA are faced with the challenge of losing the connection in global competition for future technologies in the field of battery technology. This is the core result of a comprehensive study carried out by a research team from the Universities of Münster and Cambridge and the Fraunhofer facility research production battery cell. The study published in the specialist magazine "Energy & Environmental Science" examines the patents and innovation strategies of various countries and highlights the positions of China, Japan, South Korea, Europe and the USA in the area of ​​battery technologies for electric vehicles. According to uni-muenster.de , Europe and the USA are mainly focused on existing lithium-ion technologies, while Asian countries such as China, Japan and South Korea are increasingly relying on future technologies.

The particularly striking is China's extensive approach that addresses powerful batteries with high energy density and inexpensive solutions. Japan and South Korea, on the other hand, focus on the development of high -energy batteries. In this context, the scientists warn of a growing innovation gap between Asia and the West, which could seriously endanger the technological autonomy and competitiveness of Europe and the USA. Prof. Dr. Stephan von Delft emphasizes that it is urgently needed to increase investments in the future battery value chain and to promote knowledge and technology transfer to Asian battery developers.

Global Development and Funding Trends

Public financing for research and development (F&E) in the area of ​​battery technologies has increased significantly since 2014. This increase is part of the efforts of many countries to increase their independence from international supply chains and to achieve the climate goals: Germany is aiming for climate neutrality by 2045, while other countries want to achieve this by 2050 and China even until 2060. According to Isi.fraunhofer.de since 2020 doubled and the strategies of the countries vary from the USA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act via Germany's roof concept Battery research 2023 to Japan's Green Growth Strategy and Koreas Secondary Battery Innovation Strategy.

These strategies are market and industrial-oriented and combine measures and demand-like measures. While the United States aims to obtain international leadership in F&E and reduce the dependence on China, China is pursuing an aggressive strategy to maximize its market shares, where it already took the largest market position in the battery sector in 2022.

The influence of technology and innovation

The analysis of the energiefahrer.de shows that the pressure on the decarbonization of the energy and transport sector forms a driving element behind these developments. Countries like Germany rely on a technology open to technology, which also includes solid, sodium-ion and alternative batteries. Japan, on the other hand, historically a technological guide, has increasingly focused on production capacities and focuses on lithium-ion and alternative battery types.

In South Korea, the focus is on supporting the e-mobility industry and the battery manufacturers, with the aim of taking an international leadership role. The European Union pursues an integrated battery policy, which includes both offer and demand-side elements and places a strong focus on sustainability and recycling. These varying approaches and the growing funding show the common goal of promoting battery technology and thus securing competitiveness in the global market.