An Evolutionary Analysis of Higher-Order Interaction Collaborative Innovation Networks in China’s New Energy Vehicle Industry

As a manifestation of technological innovation achievements, patents reflect the frontier of technological development in the field. The aim of this research is to investigate the spatial evolution of patent collaboration networks and cooperation activities in the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) industry. We hypothesize that the higher-order collaboration networks will exhibit the formation of triangle groups centered around core nodes and the emergence of key edges indicating their importance. Key organizations and partners will play a significant role in shaping the future direction of cooperative innovation. The research utilizes data on collaboration patents in the NEV industry in China and constructs higher-order interaction collaboration innovation networks. The spatial evolution of networks and patent cooperation activities are examined using simplex methods. The results indicate that the generalized degree distribution of nodes and edges follows a power-law distribution. Two-dimensional simplex networks gradually form triangle clusters centered on core nodes and key edges. Large companies and research institutes prefer high-depth collaboration, while universities prefer high-breadth collaboration. Furthermore, the development of the new energy vehicle industry has gradually shifted from the eastern region to the central region. In the two-dimensional simplex network, Beijing and Jiangsu play a crucial role as key bridges in fostering stable and deep collaborations. The findings of this study shed light on the spatial evolution of patent collaboration networks and cooperation activities in the Chinese NEV industry. The identification of key organizations and partners, as well as the central positions of certain regions, provides valuable insights for innovation organizations in navigating innovation development and selecting collaboration partners.