Annual patent application trend data of the world's top 5 patent offices (IP5). Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office.
[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] As the development of integrated thermal management system technology for eco-friendly vehicles is actively progressing worldwide, domestic companies have secured the 2nd and 3rd positions in the ranking of multiple patent applicants, indicating a focus on securing patent competitiveness.
According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office on the 22nd, a total of 9,434 patents related to integrated thermal management systems for eco-friendly vehicles were filed in the top 5 advanced patent countries (IP5) from 2011 to 2020, showing an average annual growth rate of 11%.
The integrated thermal management system for eco-friendly vehicles is developed to improve power usage efficiency and driving range.
The core is to prevent energy waste caused by seasonal factors such as air conditioners and heaters, which shorten the driving distance. For example, the American Automobile Association announced that when the air conditioner is turned on in summer, the electric vehicle driving range decreases by 17% compared to normal, and when the heater is turned on in winter, it decreases by up to 40%.
In the same context, the Korean Intellectual Property Office analyzes that at this time when the global electric vehicle market is expanding, integrated thermal management systems for efficient vehicle cooling/heating and temperature management of power components are becoming increasingly important.
Consequently, the market size of integrated thermal management systems is also expected to grow by 269% from 2021 to reach $4.3 billion by 2027.
In response to this outlook, competition to secure related patents worldwide is intensifying. For example, the patent application growth rate related to integrated thermal management systems in the IP5 was 16.2% from 2016 to 2020, showing a growth rate more than 140% faster than the average annual growth rate since 2011.
From 2011 to 2020, the share of patent applications by country was highest in China with 3,725 cases (51%), followed by the United States with 1,393 cases (19%), Japan with 862 cases (12%), Korea with 833 cases (11%), and Europe with 508 cases (7%).
From 2016 to 2020, the number of applications from Korea, the United States, Europe, and China increased compared to the previous five years, while Japan decreased (451 cases → 411 cases). This is analyzed as a phenomenon due to Japan focusing on hybrid vehicle technology development.
In the recent 10 years, the ranking of multiple applicants within the IP5 was Toyota (678 cases), Hyundai Motor Company (609 cases), LG (425 cases), Honda (320 cases), and Ford (254 cases), with Hyundai Motor Company and LG ranking 2nd and 3rd respectively. The prominence of Hyundai Motor Company and LG in the major countries’ multiple applicant rankings indicates that these companies are actively engaged in developing integrated thermal management system technology.
By technology field, patent applications related to heating using waste heat showed the largest increase with an average annual growth rate of 29.7%, followed by thermal management of power components (battery, fuel cell) at 18.1%, heat pump at 14.5%, and thermal management using multi-directional (X-way) valves at 14.0%.
Hwang Kwang-seok, an examiner at the Automobile Examination Division of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, said, “Along with the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market, patent applications related to integrated thermal management systems are also showing a steep increase. Research and development to improve thermal management efficiency, such as battery cooling technology to extend electric vehicle driving range and heating using waste heat, as well as securing intellectual property rights of our companies, are expected to become more important in the future.”
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