All hybrid manufacturers have had to cope with the rising costs of rare-earth metals, which are used in the compact, highly efficient motors that propel hybrids in conjunction with their gasoline engines. So Toyota and other major automakers are redesigning their motors either to not need rare earths or to use far less of them.
Ford has helped develop motors that halve the required amount of dysprosium—the most expensive rare-earth material in its motors, used in part to give the magnets resistance to heat. Ford developed a better motor cooling system, which lessened the need for dysprosium. Simultaneously, its supplier, Hitachi, developed a better process for diffusing the material through a magnet, also allowing the use of less of it. This and other advances have helped Ford lower hybrid costs by about 30 percent.
Even as Toyota is increasing the number of its hybrid models, GM is dropping its conventional hybrids in favor of the much cheaper (and less fuel-efficient) eAssist vehicles—hybrids that use a motor together with a small battery that allows the engine to turn off whenever the car comes to a stop.
automobiles, Ford, hybrid cars, hybridsView the Original article
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