As hybrid cars gobble rare metals, shortage looms

[DainBramaged]

The Prius hybrid automobile is popular for its fuel efficiency, but its electric motor and battery guzzle rare earth metals, a little-known class of elements found in a wide range of gadgets and consumer goods.

That makes Toyota's market-leading gasoline-electric hybrid car and other similar vehicles vulnerable to a supply crunch predicted by experts as China, the world's dominant rare earths producer, limits exports while global demand swells.

Worldwide demand for rare earths, covering 15 entries on the periodic table of elements, is expected to exceed supply by some 40,000 tonnes annually in several years unless major new production sources are developed. One promising U.S. source is a rare earths mine slated to reopen in California by 2012.

Among the rare earths that would be most affected in a shortage is neodymium, the key component of an alloy used to make the high-power, lightweight magnets for electric motors of hybrid cars, such as the Prius, Honda Insight and Ford Focus, as well as in generators for wind turbines.

Close cousins terbium and dysprosium are added in smaller amounts to the alloy to preserve neodymium's magnetic properties at high temperatures. Yet another rare earth metal, lanthanum, is a major ingredient for hybrid car batteries.

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN26285433

[slackmaster]

1. Peak Neodymium?!?!?

:scared:

[texastoast]

2. Maybe combine the threads?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x207501

[DainBramaged]

3. It doesn't matter, it just doesnt seem important to DU.

But when prices skyrocket, then the concern will escalate.

[phantom power]

4. I've been wondering if this constitutes an argument for hydraulic hybrids.

Arguably, the main benefit of hybrids is regenerative breaking. A plausible variation on that theme is: build a compact car that uses hydraulic regen breaking. Not as sexy, but maybe more cost-effective. And no rare-earths need apply.

[DainBramaged]

5. The large trucks use hydraulic regen.

http://www1.eaton.com/epa/

Eaton, EPA showcase new fuel-saving hydraulic hybrid UPS delivery vehicle that will be road-tested in Cleveland

August 14, 2006

[phantom power]

6. What is your opinion of something like...

a diesel jetta with hydraulic regenerative breaking?

[DainBramaged]

11. I don't know if we can get enough charging from regen braking on long trips

I think bio-diesel will help solve part of the problem, but there are compromises in a regen/hybrid/diesel besides the cost.

now if we could get people to buy diesel powered motorcycles..........

[Gregorian]

8. That's a good industrial solution for a "small" fleet not using electric motors.

A horror for a billion cars across the planet.

Both manufacturing of the equipment and running efficiency of it is horrible in comparison to electric motors. But it's great that they have done this. It's especially important considering the nature of the delivery process.

[Gregorian]

7. The motors are the brakes. There is no escaping the problem.

The problem being...

It doesn't matter anymore. It's not going away. It's here to stay. At least for a few more decades.

Everything is being consumed. And it's all following that infamous exponential curve.


Hydraulic is not the way to go. Friction losses, for one thing. It's not adiabatic. And manufacturing is energy intense. Making electric motor parts is simply sintering, pressing, punch presses, wire extruding. Hydraulics is smelting, machining, honing, plating, hardening...

[phantom power]

9. I still have a feeling that the future may be closer to...

[Gregorian]

10. I officially love you!

As someone who commuted 11 mile each way, for years, I wholeheartedly promote this idea. It is one that many are afraid to embrace. I have said that we designed our lives around the car. It's time the autocentric society came to an end.

Bikes rule!

Speaking of hydraulics, I have been pondering designing a hydraulic bike for a long time. But I'm moving closer to it as time goes by. Efficiency is critical with pedal power, so it may just be a toy. Anyways...

[phantom power]

12. A few hydraulic bikes have actually been made...

There are some links to a few at the bottom of this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_bicycle

[Gregorian]

13. Pneumatic as well. Oh yes, I'm keenly aware.

They've all missed the mark though. It's a tough engineering job for one guy. I've been thinking of it for probably forty years. But the actual prototyping and testing would take years. I've brainstormed quite a lot. It's not just a dream. But it does have problems. The chain is elegant. And so is the screw. These are quantum design leaps. Ones that may take technology we don't have. Actually, electric motors and generators would be the best bike. But that's also another engineering job that includes material science on top of it. I would love to have bike wheel motors. It's over my head though. And dedicating years to a bike that may be a novelty is not something I want to do. So it's a long decision process.

In other news, I just got electricity for the first time in nearly 2 years! Woo hoo! I'm cobbling the extension cord together at the moment, and getting ready to shut the diesel generator off for good. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ghost Dog]

17. .

[CRF450]

14. FYI, Neodymium/rare earth is also used in high end speaker magnets

Even the in-ear headphones I have for my mp3 player uses that material.

[excess_3]

15. lanthanum --> nickel metal hydride batteries

lanthanum --> nickel metal hydride batteries,
not lithium ion..

[excess_3]

16. Tesla Roadster...induction motot... no permanent magnets,,,nt