Automakers' drive to avoid China's EV rare earth dominance gathers speed
rare earth content has hit high gear, with European, U.S. and Japanese automakers and suppliers racing for alternatives in an area dominated by China.
Automakers have mostly relied on motors with rare earth-based permanent magnets, which have been the most efficient at providing the torque to power EVs.
But different types of motors without permanent magnets that were previously too big and too inefficient, or those with greatly-reduced rare earth content have become commercially viable, prompting the rush for alternatives.
EV calculator
How much will I save if I choose an electric vehicle?
SELECT vehicle type
Calculate
Market leader Tesla garnered headlines earlier this year saying it would cut rare earths from its next-generation EVs.
But automakers from General Motors to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and major suppliers like BorgWarner are researching, or have developed, motors with low- to zero-rare earth content such as magnet-free externally excited synchronous machines (EESMs), which generate a magnetic field using electric current.
Others like Nissan are going further than previously reported, with a dual strategy to develop both newer EESM motors and also to develop permanent magnet motors where the rare earth content will be gradually eliminated altogether.
China dominates the mining and processing of a group of 17 metals known as rare earths, though companies elsewhere are trying to loosen China's grip.
Recent Chinese restrictions on exports of gallium and graphite — which is critical for EV production — highlighted the risk of over-reliance on China.
German supplier ZF has developed an EESM motor that Chief Technology Officer Otmar Scharrer said matches the size and performance of permanent magnet motors.
«T
