European EV firms are visiting an Estonian rare‑earth magnet site to reduce reliance on China and bolster motor supply chains.
Executives from Europe’s electric-vehicle sector are traveling to northeastern Estonia to secure rare‑earth permanent magnets used in EV traction motors.
The site, in a sparsely populated region, has drawn interest because neodymium‑based (NdFeB) magnets—containing elements like neodymium and dysprosium—are critical for compact, high‑power motors and are typically sourced through supply chains dominated by China. European OEMs and suppliers are evaluating the facility as part of a push to onshore magnet production, shorten logistics, and reduce exposure to geopolitical and processing bottlenecks.
Industry visitors are assessing production capacity, material processing steps and environmental controls, while regulators and investors weigh permitting and scalability. If scaled, local magnet manufacturing could improve resilience for EV motor supply, but analysts note it will take time and investment to match global volumes and processing capability.