5 Most Advanced Countries in Battery Technology

1. Japan

Average no. of patents filed between 2017-2019: 58950

Japan has highly profited from the increasing demand for EV batteries and consumer electronics. It is producing batteries worth nearly 930 billion Japanese yen (JPY) yearly and covers the entire battery industry by producing batteries from watch button cells to lead acid car batteries. Japan has produced more than JPY 436 billion worth of batteries for electric vehicles,  209 billion JPY worth of Nickel metal hydride batteries, and JPY 154 billion worth of Lead acid batteries. Some of the world’s biggest battery companies are located in Japan including Panasonic, Murata, Kyocera, Toshiba, ELIIY Power, FDK, Mitsubishi, and EV Energy. 

Panasonic has a market share of 10%. In 2015, it was the only company to supply batteries to Tesla. It is working with Tesla to start production of its new 4680 battery, which is more than double in diameter compared to standard batteries. Panasonic has developed a new type of lithium-ion battery that uses a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid one, which is said to increase the battery’s energy density and safety. Panasonic has shipped more than 200 billion batteries across the globe since 1931. The company will triple its battery production by 2028. 

Toshiba has also developed a new type of lithium-ion battery that uses a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid one, similar to Panasonic’s technology. The company has also developed a new type of lithium-ion battery that uses a nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide cathode. 

In April 2022, the industry ministry of Japan announced that they are aiming for a 20% share of the global rechargeable battery market in 2030 by boosting global output capacity at Japanese companies nearly 10-fold to 600 gigawatt hours (GWh). The country requires a significant investment of over $24 billion to establish a strong manufacturing base for batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage. Additionally, a specialist panel responsible for creating a battery strategy has set a goal to have 30,000 trained workers for battery manufacturing and supply chains by 2030.  

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