hybrid vehicle motor using no rare earths

http://www.japantoday.com/category/technology/view/researchers-develop-hybrid-vehicle-motor-using-no-rare-earths

TOKYO

Japanese researchers said Wednesday they have successfully developed a hybrid vehicle motor that uses no rare earth minerals, paving the way for reducing Japans heavy dependence on rare earth imports from China.

Rare earth magnets have been considered indispensable for motors in gasoline-electric hybrid and electric vehicles. But the researchers from the public New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization and Hokkaido University have developed a ferrite magnet motor with as much power output as a rare earth magnet motor.