India's shift toward rare-earth-free EV motors addresses critical supply chain vulnerabilities while advancing cost-effective, sustainable mobility solutions. This transition positions the nation as a potential leader in next-generation motor technology and geopolitical resilience.
08 Dec 2025 | 4536 Views | By Bhaktha Keshavachar, Chara Technologies
The global EV sector is at a critical stage, with ongoing supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions due to overdependence on China for critical minerals such as Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), Dysprosium (Dy), and Terbium (Tb). Rare-Earth magnets manufactured from these minerals are core for high-performance EV motors, which come ...
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The global EV sector is at a critical stage, with ongoing supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions due to overdependence on China for critical minerals such as Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), Dysprosium (Dy), and Terbium (Tb). Rare-Earth magnets manufactured from these minerals are core for high-performance EV motors, which come with steep environmental, economic, and strategic costs.
In India, where domestic reserves are scarce for these minerals, the challenge is twofold - mining and extraction & making the magnets - which then poses greater difficulties in advancing the EV industry’s progress: accelerating cost-efficient EV adoption, and increasing volatile import channels. India’s leadership in this transition could position it as a critical hub in the next phase of motor technology, as global automakers are slowly moving toward Rare-Earth-Free motor solutions
Rare-earth-free motors on redefining India/ Global EV landscape:
Over centuries, engineering innovation has consistently replaced scarcity with ingenuity, and Rare-Earth-Free motors continue that lineage.
Recent market studies show that the Rare-Earth-Free motor market is valued at USD 1.35 billion as of 2025 and is projected to reach USD 2.5 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 9.1% largely driven by EVs and Industrial automation. Asia-Pacific alone accounts for 40% of this segment, with India leading the race.
Technologies such as Synchronous Reluctance Motors (SynRM) and Externally Excited Synchronous Motors (EESM) deliver competitive efficiency and performance without Rare-Earth magnets, setting up a strong foundation in reshaping cost structures and eliminating environmental inefficiencies tied to mining and processing.
The transition is not only cost-driven, but also sustainability-driven with a focus on technological self-reliance. What was once a mere technological shift is now underscored as a matter of national importance.
The evolution progress must happen on three fronts, starting from advancing material science, scaling alternative motor technologies, and mining where it is possible. As technology matures and control architectures upgrade, Rare-Earth-Free motors have the potential to move slowly and steadily towards mainstream.
India’s leadership in the rare-earth-free motors segment:
India’s advantage lies in its frugal engineering capabilities, where, with the convergence of its cost-efficient manufacturing and software-hardware integration capabilities, we can highlight the broader vision of moving from imported designs to building systems within our ecosystem.
Constant conversation between the government and technology developers clearly reflects one main ambition, and that is to reduce dependence on China to support indigenous R&D in motor architectures. With larger EV manufacturers exploring alternatives through ferrite-based motors, India’s ever-growing EV ecosystem and deep engineering roots strengthen its position to lead a global Rare-Earth-Free revolution in the EV sector while shifting from dependency-led assembly to a design-driven innovation.
Setting a global benchmark for technological independence:
China currently commands 90% of the world’s Rare-Earth resources, creating structural vulnerabilities across EV and renewable energy value chains. Environmentally, the case is equally compelling, as extracting one ton of Rare-Earth material creates nearly 2,000 tons of toxic byproducts. Along with this, the demand for Rare-Earth magnets can double by 2030, where India alone might need up to 10,000 tons annually for its EV targets.
While global automakers are already investing in magnet-free designs to combat supply risks, India can help in de-risking the mobility future by offering export-ready solutions to global markets through indigenous motor technology. A success here would showcase India’s sustainable and frugal engineering efforts in reinstating industrial competitiveness, helping other countries move towards cleaner and resilient supply chains.
Role of policy and Industry-Government collaboration:
Today, the Ministry of Heavy Industries is exploring long-term frameworks to support domestically developed motor technologies. Industry bodies like ACMA are calling for nationwide critical materials measures to protect EV production from global shortages.
Our country can be built into a preferred global destination for magnet-free technologies through Investments in materials processing, manufacturing, and testing ecosystems. Along with the above, government and industry can help drive innovation and adoption through policy incentives, targeted R&D funding, and collaborative models
Deeptech-hardware demands the same support extended to batteries and semiconductors, as such incentives in lines of PLI schemes, pilot deployment programs would support in fueling innovation and signal long-term commitment.
Conclusion:
India’s rise in this segment can become a marker of sovereign capability for a cleaner and independent EV mobility future. Rare-Earth-Free motors represent both a sustainability and strategic opportunity, as this could lead to the next generation of EV technologies that are not only cost-efficient and greener but geopolitically resilient. Combined measures across policy, research, and industry can help India redefine the global benchmark for clean mobility through Rare-Earth-Free motors in the coming years.
Bhaktha Keshavachar is the Co-Founder & CEO of Chara Technologies. Views expressed are the author's personal.