Tesla, the leading electric vehicle manufacturer, is set to remove rare Earth minerals from its cars, potentially eliminating a major environmental concern with the growing number of EVs.
The company made the announcement during its Master Plan 3 Investor event where it revealed its business strategy for the next few years.
GRUENHEIDE, GERMANY - MARCH 25: In this aerial view newly completed Tesla Model Y electric cars stand at the new Tesla Gigafactory electric car manufacturing plant on March 25, 2022 near Gruenheide, Germany. The new plant, officially called the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, officially opened on March 22 with an event with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The new plant is producing the Model Y as well as electric car batteries.
Next-gen Permanent Magnet Motor
According to Wired, a member of Tesla's power train executive team, Colin Campbell, presented slides to investors showing that Tesla's Model Y motors contained around 520g of rare Earth materials.
The minerals are used in neodymium magnets, which are combined with other elements to create a magnetic field powerful enough to move the car. However, Tesla is concerned about the instability of the supply of rare Earth minerals and the high toxicity of mining them.
To address these issues, Campbell presented Tesla's "next generation permanent magnet motor," which does not use any rare Earth materials. While the company did not specify which minerals it plans to remove, it is known that neodymium is a significant contributor, with 500g used in each Model Y.
Eliminating neodymium, which is a challenge due to the limited number of minerals that can generate the required magnetic field, could be a daunting task for Tesla.
Some experts have suggested that ferrite, a ceramic material made of iron and oxygen, could be a potential replacement. However, ferrite is about ten times weaker than neodymium magnets.
Tesla currently employs permanent magnets in the rear wheels and externally supplied electrical current to power the front wheels. The use of rare Earth materials is not unique to Tesla, as other EV manufacturers also use them in their vehicles.
Costly and Risky
The acquisition of minerals such as cobalt, a vital element in electric vehicle batteries, not only incurs significant costs but also poses potential risks for miners, according to Interesting Engineering.
China is responsible for more than 50% of the global rare Earth output, including the processing of these minerals into magnets. According to estimates, China is accountable for over 90% of the world's magnet supply.
Tesla's move to eliminate rare Earth minerals may just be a significant step towards creating more sustainable EVs.
The company is known for its commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its products and has previously addressed concerns over the sustainability of its battery production process.
Tesla's move may also put pressure on other automakers to follow suit and find alternatives to rare Earth materials in their vehicles.
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