Global Rare Earths Elements in High-Tech Industries Report 2020: Focus on Semiconductors, HDDs, LCDs, Consumer Products, and Green Technology
However, by volume, permanent magnets and catalysts account for more than half of global demand. The weighting towards permanent magnets is even higher when looked at on a value perspective, with some estimates that the application accounted for over 90% of rare earth demand in 2020. As such, it is the key driver of the market.
The structural shift to the green economy is a significant driver of our bullish outlook on rare earth prices. In particular, an increasing shift to electric vehicles (EV) is expected to drive a significant increase in demand for rare earths, particularly neodymium. Adding 2kg of REE in the form of a rare earth electric vehicle drive results in motor efficiency 2-5% higher than alternatives, saving energy over its lifetime. Being more efficient, the target range for an EV is achieved with a smaller, lighter and cheaper battery, which is critical given the battery represents around 50% of the cost of an EV.
