Rare Earth Magnets Become Strategic EV Bottleneck

Rare earth magnets have quietly become a critical supply‑chain chokepoint for electric vehicles, shifting from commodity inputs to strategic infrastructure.

Neodymium‑Iron‑Boron (NdFeB) and Samarium‑Cobalt (SmCo) magnets offer very high magnetic strength, energy density and thermal stability, enabling compact, high‑efficiency traction motors and dozens of other vehicle subsystems. Modern passenger cars use magnets in roughly 20–30 critical components.

EV traction motors represent about 5–10% of vehicle cost, and rare earth magnets account for roughly 25–30% of motor cost—equivalent to about ₹2,500–4,500 per electric two‑wheeler and ₹20,000–45,000 per electric passenger vehicle—so magnet disruptions disproportionately affect EV economics.

China dominates the chain: ~69% of production, ~90% of processing, ~94% of magnet manufacturing and ~49% of reserves. India currently imports ~80–85% of its needs, creating strategic vulnerability.

Recent Chinese export licensing, reporting tightening and restrictions on medium/ heavy rare earths have converted supply risk into a policy lever, driving policy‑driven volatility rather than normal demand cycles. Alternatives require motor redesign, efficiency trade‑offs and long validation—typically 18–24 months—so substitution is not immediate.

Mining, processing and magnet manufacture are capital‑ and scale‑intensive; value accrues where control and switching barriers exist. India’s ₹7,280 crore scheme to build 6,000 MTPA of integrated capacity aims for 70–75% self‑reliance by 2030, while rare‑earth recycling and urban mining are rising strategic opportunities.