With the acquisition of Maxwell Technologies, Tesla expands its patent portfolio and includes technologies that may lead to a major advantage in the future technology of efficient batteries for electric cars. The company is a specialist in the field of energy storage. For Tesla this can mean a leap forward in the highly competitive field of battery technology for electric cars. Using LexisNexis® PatentSight®, closer look at this acquisition scenario shows us in which technology areas Maxwell can significantly complement Tesla’s patent portfolio.
Maxwell Technologies manufactures super and ultracapacitors that can store energy peaks and quickly release them, which means, among other things, that batteries can be charged in the shortest possible time. This also includes dry electrode technology, which will give Tesla a competitive edge over its competitors in the future.
Tesla has a comparatively small, but high-quality patent portfolio with an average value of 3.8, which is significantly higher than the average value of 1. With the acquisition of the Maxwell Technologies portfolio, Tesla can maintain its high-quality portfolio and gain additional size and portfolio strength.
Some top patents in the Maxwell Technologies portfolio such as “Capacitor and battery combination” and ” Dry energy storage device electrode and methods of making the same” are of particular interest to Tesla. For Tesla, these technologies may open up opportunities to produce more efficient batteries for electric cars on a much cheaper pricing level in the future.
Maxwell Technologies has not only patented the manufacturing process for the dry electrodes. A look at the IPC classes shows that Maxwell Technologies has a particular technological strength in areas where Tesla is not yet represented or only weakly represented: Electrolytic capacitors (H01G 9), hybrid capacitors (H01G 11) and electrodes H01M 4).
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About the author: William Mansfield
William Mansfield is the Head of Consulting and Customer Success for LexisNexis® PatentSight®. Responsible for overseeing the negotiation, creation, and delivery of PatentSight’s global consulting work along with managing the Customer Success team.
