Evolution of New Energy Vehicle Collaborative Innovation Networks in China

Technological innovation is a driving force of the continuously developing new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, in which establishing good collaborative networks plays an important role. However, studies on collaborative networks are rare. In this study, the overall structural laws and specific location of NEV collaborative innovation networks were identified by evaluating the NEV patent database obtained by China’s State Intellectual Property Office for 2005–2021. The structural evolution laws and spatial development characteristics of these networks were analyzed from the perspectives of network topology, node centrality, and cohesive subgroups. Results show that the rapid development of China’s NEV collaborative innovation networks is able to facilitate continuous breakthroughs in technological innovation, and innovative subjects become increasingly extensive and diversified. However, the influences of innovative subjects on technological innovation resources vary. For instance, the State Grid Corporation of China controls the flow of technological innovation resources of a certain network. Further analysis of space cohesive subgroups shows that the collaborative innovation space among subjects has non-significant adjacent characteristics. The collaboration and communication among subjects shall be strengthened, the collaborative innovation system must be perfected, and an integrated platform of the automobile industry during technological innovation shall be built. In this manner, the continuous and rapid development of the NEV industry can be ensured. The obtained conclusions provide references for the optimization of NEV collaborative innovation network structures and the enhancement of cross-regional collaboration. © 2022 School of Science, IHU. All rights reserved.