With China producing 97% of all rare earths that are used globally, prices for these materials have sky-rocketed in recent years. This is partly due to China’s monopoly on production as well as the fact that demand for rare earths is increasing as we make more electric vehicles and other green technology that rely on these materials.
Now, however, work is progressing on finding a way to build an electric car that doesn’t depend on rare earths. At the Tokyo University of Science, Professor Nobukazu Hoshi’s Lab has a rare earth free prototype (1999 Mazda Roadster) that is powered by a so-called switched reluctance motor that boasts an output of 50kW.
In the video embedded below the technology is explained. The short-comings (these include poorer torque and energy efficiency) are also mentioned, as are needed advances to make the prototype more commercially feasible. Professor Nobukazu and his team plan to refine the design to eventually make it competitive with cars that rely on rare earths.
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