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Toyota (TM) Snubs Rare Earths

January 14, 2011 8:44 AM EST
Amid a potential shortfall of rare earth supplies globally, stemming from China's plans to curb exports this year, Toyota (NYSE: TM) said that they are working on an alternative motor for hybrids that won't rely on the minerals.

According to Bloomberg, a spokesperson for Toyota said that their engineers are working on an inductive motor that is both lighter and more efficient that the magnet-type motor used right now. He notes that research is in an "advanced" stage, though timing of a roll out in new hybrids wasn't nailed down. The spokesperson called it a "long-term" approach.

China, the supplier of 90% of the worlds rare earth minerals, cut their exports by 35% in December, following a reduction of 72% in H210.

Rare earth's such as neodymium and dysprosium are also used in Nissan's Leaf, General Motor's (NYSE: GM) Volt, and Honda's (NYSE" HMC) Insight hybrid.

Toyota is already scheduled to release an all-electric RAV4 SUV, that will tap Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA) to supply an inductive motor which will require no rare earths. The RAV4 is separate from Toyota's current project.

Stocks to watch today include:
  • Molycorp, Inc. (NYSE: MCP), Rare Element Resources Ltd. (NYSE: REE), China Shen Zhou Mining & Resources, Inc. (NYSE: SHZ), and Market Vectors Rare Earth/Str Metals ETF (NYSE: REMX).


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