The push to eliminate rare earth elements from EV motor supply chains

Automakers that proactively diversify designs for EV motors that reduce or eliminate rare earth elements, forge supplier partnerships and bolster domestic material flows will enhance resilience, manage costs and advance EV competitiveness amid shifting geopolitical pressures.

Amid shifting global trade dynamics, automakers are being forced to rethink supply chains for critical electric vehicle (EV) components. EV motors—long dependent on rare earth elements (REEs)—are now a strategic pressure point. Recent export restrictions from mainland China, which currently dominates the mining and refining of rare earth elements, combined with geopolitical uncertainty, have transformed automakers' dependence on REEs into a significant strategic vulnerability.