Rare Earth plus one, alternative EV plan

There has been much noise - about opportunity and caution - over China lifting curbs on export of rare-earth (RE) magnets to India. Which is understandable since an overwhelming majority of EV motors use permanent magnets that contain RE elements. But RE use also exposes an inherent conflict in EV tech. The switch to fossil fuel alternatives is necessitated by sustainability, but mining RE minerals substantially degrades the environment. Which maybe why countries have allowed China to acquire its global dominance over producing RE minerals. The strategy is now being tested by vulnerability of supply chains. There is a global effort on now to gain resilience over RE mining, while securing consistent supply of permanent magnets from China. But there are alternatives to RE element magnets being tested for use in EV motors.

The first approach persists with the use of permanent magnets in motors, but making them RE-free. These magnets are not as powerful, and the engineering challenge is to get more juice out of motors built with them. This typically makes the motor bulkier and more complex. Research on magnetic materials and motor design indicate alternatives are emerging. Another idea being tested is to eliminate the heavy RE elements, which are even more scarce, from permanent magnets. Degradation of magnetic properties is thereby contained and this requires a less intensive redesign of EV motors.

The second approach is to do away with permanent magnets entirely and replace them with electromagnets. This is a more radical shift in terms of engineering because such motors need a continuous power supply to maintain the magnetic field. Electromagnetic motors that can be used in EVs are entering the market with performance to match those using permanent magnets. So, EV technology free of RE elements is already available. The engineering challenges are not as intense as the economic ones. Current EV tech has been subsidised by taxpayers. Its evolution may require additional support. Which is also where the excitement lies.