The Most Innovative Car Brands

Automakers are constantly racing against the clock to one-up their competitors with the latest tech, or to create the next big thing in automotive. To protect their ideas, car manufacturers patent their technology, which is a legal document that gives the holder property rights to that invention. So, no one else can replicate, use, or sell it.

That’s why, the number of patents an automaker has, gives a good indication of how innovative the brand is. So, we at Hippo Leasing have uncovered which brands are leading innovation in 2023/24 by analysing patent data from around the world.

Which car brands have the most patents in 2023/24?

Rank	Car Brand	Number of Patents
1	Toyota	14,122
2	Honda	8,355
3	Geely	6,983
4	BYD	6,834
5	Ford	6,371
6	Hyundai	6,219
7	Changan Automobile	5,650
8	Great Wall Motor	5,578
9	Mercedes-Benz	4,248
10	Volkswagen	4,140
11	Nissan	3,881
12	Kia	3,610
13	Volvo	2,993
14	Audi	2,521
15	Porsche	2,080
16	Subaru	1,919
17	Stellantis / Peugeot & Citroen	1,024
18	Jaguar / Land Rover	991
19	Mazda	979
20	SAIC Motor	879
21	Tesla	574
22	General Motors	400
23	BMW	319
24	Skoda	79
25	Chrysler	16

Japanese car manufacturers lead the way, followed by China

Japanese car manufacturers are leading the innovation race. Toyota stands out with an impressive 14,122 patents, making it the most innovative car manufacturer in 2023/24. Toyota has long been known as an innovator, they were the first to release a mass-produced hybrid car, the Prius, in 1997! So, it’s not so surprising that Toyota is still coming out on top as leading innovation in 2024.

Honda, another Japanese manufacturer follows in second with 8,355 patents, highlighting the brand’s commitment to automotive technology.

However, it’s not just Japan focusing on research and development. Chinese car brands are rising in innovation. Geely, with 6,983 patents, and BYD, with 6,834 patents, are at the forefront of China’s push to dominate the future of automotive. These brands are not just content with their domestic markets—they are expanding globally, bringing their innovations to Europe and beyond.

The Car Brands with The Most EV Patents

Rank	Car Brand	EV Patents
1	Hyundai	1,919
2	Toyota	1,660
3	Kia	1,649
4	Ford	837
5	BYD	763
6	Honda	696
7	Volvo	637
8	Geely	459
9	Audi	396
10	Mercedes-Benz	385
11	Porsche	372
12	Great Wall Motor	295
13	VW	283
14	Subaru	196
15	Nissan	187
16	Changan Automobile	138
17	Mazda	102
18	Jaguar / Land Rover	90
19	Peugeot	89
20	SAIC Motor	33
21	Tesla	18
22	General Motors	14
23	BMW	2
24	Skoda	1
25	Chrysler	0

Hyundai comes out on top for electric vehicle innovation

In 2016, Hyundai introduced IONIQ, the world’s first car to offer separate hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full electric powertrains in one body type. And, evidently, they’re continuing to build on that innovation today, with the brand placing first for number of electric car patents. The South Korean manufacturer has 1,919 patents relating to EV tech.

Toyota and Kia are not far behind, placing second and third with 1,660 and 1,649 EV patents respectively. Toyota, long known for its hybrid technology, is now making a strong push into the fully electric vehicle space, while Kia is rapidly expanding its EV lineup with a focus on affordability and range.

Tesla places 21st for the number of EV patents

Tesla is a market leader in electric vehicles, they have popularised electric cars with their advancements in electric car batteries and range. Tesla’s technology has helped their vehicles become some of the best-selling electric cars globally.

So, it’s surprising that Tesla has only released 18 electric car patents, positioning the brand 21st amongst the manufacturers analysed. The reason behind the low patents is that Tesla has open-sourced their patents, meaning they’re free to use. Tesla has stated they’ve taken this approach to accelerate sustainable transport. Manufacturers around the world can build upon Tesla’s technology, speeding up the adoption of electric cars.

The Car Brands with the Most Self-Driving Patents

Rank	Car Brand	Self-Driving Patents
1	Toyota	2,972
2	Hyundai	2,644
3	Kia	1,987
4	Ford	1,060
5	Honda	1,002
6	Volvo	562
7	Mercedes-Benz	499
8	Nissan	471
9	VW	436
10	Changan Automobile	430
11	Subaru	406
12	Great Wall Motor	372
13	Geely	336
14	Jaguar / Land Rover	256
15	Audi	158
16	BYD	114
17	Peugeot	100
18	Porsche	85
19	SAIC Motor	50
20	Mazda	24
21	Tesla	16
22	General Motors	12
23	Chrysler	3
24	BMW	1
25	Skoda	0

Automakers are racing to be the best in self-driving tech

Electric cars have been titled as the future of driving, with many governments around the world ensuring this becomes a fact with initiatives to encourage the uptake of EVs. So, you would think car manufacturers would be focusing their efforts on electric cars. Surprisingly, car brands have released 24% more autonomous driving patents than electric car patents. Manufacturers are publishing patents in the hope of ‘winning’ the self-driving race.

Currently, the car brands positioning themselves as leaders in this emerging market are, Toyota with the most number of self-driving patents with 2,972. In second place we have Hyundai with 2,644 patents, followed by Kia with 1,987 patents.

Ford places 4th for self-driving tech

American car manufacturer, Ford, ranks fourth for the number of autonomous driving patents at 1,060. Interestingly, last year Ford released the UK’s first legal hands-free car, the Mustang Mach-E. And, just recently, it has been approved in 15 countries in Europe.

Moreover, Ford is developing a fourth-gen self-driving vehicle with Argo AI. The vehicles feature advanced sensing and computing technologies, including high-resolution cameras, and enhanced radar sensors. 

Want to try out an innovative car for yourself? Why not explore our car leasing deals and get behind the wheel of a new or used car. 

Methodology

We analysed patent databases, Google Patents and Espacenet, and found the number of patents for popular car manufacturers released in 2023 to date (14/08/2024). We used the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) index to find patents relating to electric vehicles and self-driving technology.