Beyond rare earths: Pioneering alternate e-motor solutions amid mainland China's rare earth export challenges
Mainland China’s rare earth elements (REE) export restriction is posing challenges to the global REE supply chain and is compelling automakers to look for REE-free e-motor solutions.
On Oct. 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce announced an expansion of export restrictions on seven rare earth materials and their associated technologies, which are crucial for permanent magnets and AI accelerators. This update includes the addition of five rare-earth metals — holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium — to the previously restricted list of samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium. Additionally, restrictions on the export of specialized equipment for refining rare-earth metals will take effect on Dec. 1, 2025.
Thank you for visiting S&P Global AutoTechInsight.
*A subscription to News & Analysis includes four S&P Global-selected sector-specific analytical pieces per month. Access to all analytic pieces across all domains comes with a subscription to All Domains. Please click here to subscribe.
To get access to the AutoTechInsight full suite of services, please contact a sales representative by clicking here.
Already a subscriber? Please log in here
