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A carmaker’s holy grail: Motors that don’t rely on Chinese rare earths
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Engineer Harnavpreet Gill working at Conifer, a California start-up that makes motors that do not use rare earth materials, in Sunnyvale, California.
PHOTO: CHRISTIE HEMM KLOK/NYTIMES
Jack Ewing
Follow topic:
- Automakers are reducing reliance on Chinese rare-earth metals due to supply risks and geopolitical tensions after China "weaponised" rare-earth exports.
- Companies like BMW and GM are exploring alternatives: BMW using rare-earth-free motors, GM sourcing from US-based MP Materials, and researching synthetic materials.
- Challenges remain with alternative technologies being more expensive or less efficient. Grants aim for magnets "twice as powerful" but mass production faces hurdles.
AI generated
SUNNYVALE, California – Stunned by frequent shortages of essential materials from China, automakers in the US and Europe are quietly trying to reduce or eliminate the need for materials that have become entangled in superpower rivalries.
The companies are exploring technologies and exotic materials that could replace magnets made with rare earth metals that are used in dozens of parts in cars and trucks of all kinds. They include components such as windshield wiper motors and the mechanisms that allow seats to be adjusted.
