Toyota develops new permanent magnets for electric vehicles to reduce reliance on rare earths

According to foreign media reports, Japanese automaker Toyota announced that it has developed a new permanent magnet for electric vehicle motors that reduces the use of rare earth elements by about half. It is reported that this permanent magnet no longer needs to use expensive rare earth elements such as terbium and dysprosium, and uses relatively less neodymium.

Undoubtedly, this new product can not only reduce the production cost of electric vehicles, but also reduce dependence on rare earth elements.

Toyota said the new permanent magnets can be used in high-output motors for products such as electric vehicles, electric power steering, robots and home appliances. The company plans to use the permanent magnets in electric power steering motors by the end of 2025.

Rare earth elements are key to making electronics and are used to make everything from smartphones to electric cars and military equipment. Rare earths are used to make high-power magnets in electric motors for cars, vacuum cleaners, wind turbines and other machines. Toyota says about 30 percent of the elements used in these magnets are rare earth elements.

Toyota said in a press release that dysprosium and terbium are relatively expensive and susceptible to "geopolitical risks."

While neodymium is relatively abundant, Toyota is concerned that demand for electric vehicles, including hybrid and electric cars, could lead to a shortage of it. Toyota has replaced some of the neodymium with the lower-cost elements lanthanum and cerium.

Toyota said the magnets will "help reduce the risks of disruptions in rare earth supply and demand, as well as increases in their prices."

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.