Study on Manufacturers' Operational Decisions under Different Production and R&D Strategies of New Energy Vehicle Batteries in the Context of Low Carbon Economy

Study on Manufacturers' Operational Decisions under Different Production and R&D Strategies of New Energy Vehicle Batteries in the Context of Low Carbon Economy | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Study on Manufacturers' Operational Decisions under Different Production and R&D Strategies of New Energy Vehicle Batteries in the Context of Low Carbon Economy Junlan Tan, Hongxia Chen, Deibin Yang, Yuling Shi, Yong Lv, rong wang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9313540/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The transition toward low-carbon transportation represents a critical strategy for mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. New energy vehicles (NEVs), powered by advanced battery technologies, have emerged as a pivotal solution to address the dual challenges of energy security and environmental degradation. However, the high costs and technological uncertainties associated with battery research and development (R&D) present significant strategic dilemmas for NEV manufacturers in selecting optimal production modes. This study investigates the environmental and economic implications of three distinct battery production strategies—in-house R&D, outsourcing, and joint R&D collaboration—within a supply chain framework comprising traditional fuel vehicle manufacturers, NEV manufacturers, suppliers, and third-party battery producers. By developing game-theoretic models, we analyze how R&D efficiency, market distribution preferences, and R&D cost-sharing ratios influence equilibrium outcomes including pricing, green performance, market demand, and profitability across supply chain participants.Key findings reveal that: (1) reduced R&D efficiency under in-house production negatively impacts NEV manufacturers' environmental performance and profitability while benefiting traditional automakers; (2) consumer market distribution significantly shapes strategic decisions, with traditional vehicle market dominance adversely affecting green innovation; (3) outsourcing proves superior only when battery suppliers demonstrate clear technological leadership; and (4) joint R&D strategies enhance supply chain profitability but are most effective in markets with high traditional vehicle demand. This research provides actionable insights for environmental management practitioners and policymakers seeking to promote sustainable manufacturing practices and accelerate the decarbonization of the automotive industry. Environmental management Sustainable supply chain New energy vehicles Battery production strategies Game theory Low-carbon manufacturin Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 08 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 06 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 13 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 03 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9313540","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":625028128,"identity":"f664c29e-17e1-40b4-bfb7-01c65b515f9d","order_by":0,"name":"Junlan Tan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Maritime Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Junlan","middleName":"","lastName":"Tan","suffix":""},{"id":625028129,"identity":"709bef24-578f-4bb9-b017-1cb36547afe6","order_by":1,"name":"Hongxia Chen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Maritime Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hongxia","middleName":"","lastName":"Chen","suffix":""},{"id":625028130,"identity":"a105acf2-e4d8-48b5-b2f6-9dd3327357b4","order_by":2,"name":"Deibin Yang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Maritime Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Deibin","middleName":"","lastName":"Yang","suffix":""},{"id":625028131,"identity":"72c56a42-05be-4279-8bf7-d96efe949500","order_by":3,"name":"Yuling Shi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jiangsu Maritime Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuling","middleName":"","lastName":"Shi","suffix":""},{"id":625028132,"identity":"b1cd394d-8f4f-4f55-bec1-e0c0ca6acac1","order_by":4,"name":"Yong Lv","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAz0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACPghlk8AGptmI0AJVk0a6lsMJKFz8WiRyDB8X/Dqfx8fencDwoewwA//sBoJajI1n9t0uZuM5u4FxxrnDDBJ3DhDQwnPGTJq353Zim0TuBmbetsMMBhIJRGk5l9gm/3YD81+itLD3mEnz/DgAtIV3AzMjcVraio15G5KBfsndcLDnXDqPxA0CWviZmTc+5vljlyfffnbjgx9l1nL8MwhoYWDgMGBgbIMwDwAxDyH1QMD+gIHhDxHqRsEoGAWjYOQCAPsBPbd5VcwWAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Beijing Technology and Business University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yong","middleName":"","lastName":"Lv","suffix":""},{"id":625028133,"identity":"6d0b7773-959b-4cb8-975f-d9c6f27deb08","order_by":5,"name":"rong wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Nanjing Xiaozhuang University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"rong","middleName":"","lastName":"wang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-03 13:53:16","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9313540/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9313540/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107487288,"identity":"b80bfb50-9319-4b57-a6fb-9f55d97eb5cc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:40:23","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1132367,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"403TAN.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9313540/v1_covered_4c5e9719-3326-4949-8c83-0a6a3fc5334b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Study on Manufacturers' Operational Decisions under Different Production and R\u0026D Strategies of New Energy Vehicle Batteries in the Context of Low Carbon Economy","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"environmental-sciences-europe","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"eseu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Environmental Sciences Europe](http://enveurope.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"12302","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/12302/3","title":"Environmental Sciences Europe","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Environmental management, Sustainable supply chain, New energy vehicles, Battery production strategies, Game theory, Low-carbon manufacturin","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9313540/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9313540/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe transition toward low-carbon transportation represents a critical strategy for mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. New energy vehicles (NEVs), powered by advanced battery technologies, have emerged as a pivotal solution to address the dual challenges of energy security and environmental degradation. However, the high costs and technological uncertainties associated with battery research and development (R\u0026amp;D) present significant strategic dilemmas for NEV manufacturers in selecting optimal production modes. This study investigates the environmental and economic implications of three distinct battery production strategies\u0026mdash;in-house R\u0026amp;D, outsourcing, and joint R\u0026amp;D collaboration\u0026mdash;within a supply chain framework comprising traditional fuel vehicle manufacturers, NEV manufacturers, suppliers, and third-party battery producers. By developing game-theoretic models, we analyze how R\u0026amp;D efficiency, market distribution preferences, and R\u0026amp;D cost-sharing ratios influence equilibrium outcomes including pricing, green performance, market demand, and profitability across supply chain participants.Key findings reveal that: (1) reduced R\u0026amp;D efficiency under in-house production negatively impacts NEV manufacturers' environmental performance and profitability while benefiting traditional automakers; (2) consumer market distribution significantly shapes strategic decisions, with traditional vehicle market dominance adversely affecting green innovation; (3) outsourcing proves superior only when battery suppliers demonstrate clear technological leadership; and (4) joint R\u0026amp;D strategies enhance supply chain profitability but are most effective in markets with high traditional vehicle demand. This research provides actionable insights for environmental management practitioners and policymakers seeking to promote sustainable manufacturing practices and accelerate the decarbonization of the automotive industry.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Study on Manufacturers' Operational Decisions under Different Production and R\u0026amp;D Strategies of New Energy Vehicle Batteries in the Context of Low Carbon Economy","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-20 23:13:03","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9313540/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-09T02:13:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-06T15:26:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"103854187685658624949215469917649877124","date":"2026-04-16T20:53:56+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"198137086342707337493392490160680354258","date":"2026-04-15T13:24:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"158633509524525419815796205286703792610","date":"2026-04-13T14:15:49+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"211555671122195381462969135886736475837","date":"2026-04-13T13:44:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"281113460095969064424215798745460256368","date":"2026-04-13T13:14:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-13T12:49:22+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T07:23:22+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T07:22:27+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Environmental Sciences Europe","date":"2026-04-03T13:42:04+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"environmental-sciences-europe","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"eseu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Environmental Sciences Europe](http://enveurope.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"12302","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/12302/3","title":"Environmental Sciences Europe","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"beaaf7d2-8a33-42da-a331-035be94c0f4e","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 20th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-09T02:13:11+00:00","index":63,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-06T15:26:59+00:00","index":62,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-20T23:13:03+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-20 23:13:03","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9313540","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9313540","identity":"rs-9313540","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}