April 16, 2011 – 12:29 pm
Since 2010, “Rare Earth Crisis”has become the subject of continuing concern Japanese media, can win “rare-earth warfare”has become a matter of the Japanese automotive industry and the key to the survival of high-tech industries.to reduce costs, get rid of dependence on the rare earth, many Japanese automanufacturers are scrambling to develop new types of motors. Japan’s Toyota MotorCorp. said it is working to develop a completely new type of electric motor without rare earth.
Mainly used in rare earth magnet motor vehicle, all the motors have to rely on magnetsto work. Toyota is developing this new motor is cheap in common based onasynchronous motor developed.Induction motor is often used in home appliances such as kitchen mixer, using theelectromagnet, power only when the solenoid will produce magnetic.
Most hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles rely on the use of permanent magnet motor.by the rare earth neodymium permanent magnets made of minerals, always have amagnetic field.
Toyota’s global chief engineer Takeshi Yamada said the use of new technology, we can not use magnets, while production of smaller, superb performance of the engine, the technology will soon be launched.
Procurement accounts for the global automotive industry supplies 40% of neodymium, while Toyota’s purchases than any other company to be more.Every car manufacturer Toyota Prius, will use up approximately 1 kg of neodymium.Lifton said that if Toyota to use the asynchronous motors, neodymium demand will be greatly affected.
In addition, the world’s largest manufacturers of auto parts companies in Germany, also known as Ma cards, rare earth metals have been successfully developed withoutthe motor. The motors will be used in certain models on sale in Europe this year onelectric cars.
According to Ma licensing company hybrid and electric vehicles program director MikeKlein introduced the motor development of this part of the reason is to avoid the use ofrare earth metals, but mainly to reduce costs. Klein said that even in the case ofsufficient supply of the electric car is still used by the high price of permanent magnets.
Rare Earth Mine is the general term of 17 chemical elements, which are present in theore, and then refined separately. Rare-earth magnets are widely used in mining, semiconductor and other technology products.