Rare Earth Magnet Crisis: A Dent in Indian Auto Sector

China's export control leads to backlog in global supply chains

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi

The Indian automotive sector, particularly electric vehicle (EV) segment, is grappling with a supply-chain disruption due to China's export restrictions on rare earth magnets. These functionally critical components are indispensable for modern vehicles, and their scarcity threatens to impact production, new model launches, and the industry's ambitious growth trajectory.

Rare earth magnets, and why are they critical?

Magnets are made from alloys of rare earth elements. They are integral to Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs), used in EVs for their high torque, energy efficiency, and compact size. Hybrid vehicles rely on them for efficient propulsion. In internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, their use is limited to electric power steering and other motorised systems. Elements like dysprosium (Dy), terbium (Tb), neodymium (Nd), and praseodymium (Pr) are crucial for these magnets, mainly in high-performance applications.

China's dominance and new rare earth export restrictions