While hybrid vehicles might go a long way towards reducing fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, their use of lesser-known elements and rare metals have long been subject to criticism by scientists and resource-conscious consumers alike.
Reuters reports that Japanese automakers have shown significant interest in a rare metal site at Canada’s Thor Lake in the Northwest Territories since China, the world’s largest producer of rare earth metals, limits materials exports and has been considering a total ban on allowing some materials to leave its borders.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is considering an absolute ban on exports of terbium, dysprosium, yttrium, thulium, and lutetium – all of which are used in hybrid vehicle production. According to London’s Telegraph, no substitute has been found for the crucial ingredient of neodymium, used in electronics to enhance magnetic power.
Scientists say that the worldwide demand for 15 rare metals is anticipated to grow by 40,000 tons annually – due in major part to hefty demand for vehicles like the Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid and Honda Insight.
Commodities consultant and strategic metals expert Jack Lifton told Reuters that the Prius is “the biggest user of rare earths of any object in the world.”
The Prius, like other hybrids, makes significant use of neodymium, which is used to produce the electric car motor magnets, not to mention wind turbine generators. Terbium and dysprosium are also used in small amounts, while lanthanum is used in the batteries.
All four materials are considered rare earth metals, though certainly their use and demand is not relegated to just hybrid car batteries and electric motors. Still, each Prius uses about 2.2 lbs. of neodymium and each battery uses 22-33 lbs. of lanthanum, figures that will inevitably double as Toyota seeks to boost the Prius’ fuel efficiency.
08/31, 10:07 AM
posted by:
JayFull
We need a engine that runs on water!
08/31, 10:27 AM
posted by:
wakeNbake
hydrogen people
08/31, 10:35 AM
posted by:
kharrisbob
Time to learn how to bike commute…
08/31, 10:37 AM
posted by:
rzegatl
compressed air
08/31, 10:41 AM
posted by:
ahnuconun
Another serious Hybrid flaw that trendy wannabe-greenies fail to consider. Along with: what are we going to do with all the spent and difficult to recycle batteries in 20 years? Diesel, people, DIESEL!
08/31, 10:42 AM
posted by:
slider5634
I’m with JayFull and wakeNbake… We need hydrogen power. It’s not the only solution, but it the best most available fuel source and is zero emission. Someone needs to figure out an efficient way to split hydrogen off of H2O at a faster rate.
08/31, 10:58 AM
posted by:
Soravia
Hydrogen Combustion is the an ideal solution. And using natural power plants like Wind and Solar that operates only in limited time frame to produce Hydrogen would be very ideal, since natural power plants are not very reliable to power the cities by themselves.
08/31, 11:04 AM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
lithium ion batteries aren’t difficult to recycle, that’s a myth…there are several companies in the states that do it (think of it as an investment opportunity, since business will be booming)…hybrids aren’t an end-game technology, either, they just have the fewest logistical drawbacks, which allows widespread adoption today, rather than needing hydrogen distribution networks, etc…eventually hybrids will be replaced by something else even greener…it’s just a matter of time…
08/31, 11:07 AM
posted by:
SomeGreek
Hydrogen also uses rare metals. Even more rare than the hybrids as i know…
08/31, 11:18 AM
posted by:
Smegley Wanxalot
Maybe we can mine and harvest these metals from our nation’s elderly and sick.
08/31, 11:27 AM
posted by:
wompem
Wonder if we can strip mine for these?
08/31, 11:27 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Every time I see a Prius it causes shrinkage so this comes as no surprise whatsoever.
08/31, 11:45 AM
posted by:
05Z88Path
Nobody has mentioned (yet) the fact that China is up to it’s usual economic shenanigans with these rare metal resources.
“China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is considering an absolute ban…”
People don’t call foul when China does these sorts of things, but couple their protectionism with all the money the US owes (or will owe) them…and yeah we should be worried.
08/31, 11:58 AM
posted by:
Road_AMS
On another note…I wonder if LLN is afraid to post this from fear of forum meltdown. Those crazy Toyota execs: “http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/29/cbsnews_investigates/main5273636.shtml”
08/31, 12:03 PM
posted by:
arena
DIESEL
08/31, 12:47 PM
posted by:
armstealer
How do you propose compressing all that air? Magic-powered compressors? The same goes for producing the Diesel, or the wind turbines, or the HYDROGEN.
Energy is NOT FREE and never will be. Just like you can’t create matter, you can’t create energy either, you have to convert it.
08/31, 12:59 PM
posted by:
ToxicNut
Sounds like a communist country has the worlds collective huevos in it’s hand and is ready to apply a good squeeze. Should have left them riding bicycles instead of using them for a cheap source of labor and easy credit bank. It looks like the world speaks Chinese as it’s official language and carries Chairman Mao’s book within 100 years.
08/31, 1:07 PM
posted by:
ricky_b
I would much rather try out a Hydrogen Fuel Cell car.
08/31, 1:35 PM
posted by:
Scarface03
Let’s be careful with your headlines, LLN. All the story really says is that demand for rare-earth elements is on the rise and let’s not bank on China to help us out (when is ever a good idea to count on China for anything?).
Just sounds like to me that entrepreneurs will start looking for more deposits of rare earth metals, technology should advance away from needing rare earths, and the U.S., at least, should send a nice Christmas card to Canada.
08/31, 1:40 PM
posted by:
Cardemon04
This article seems to bring about an interesting problem…. it seems that any form of “renewable resource” will be dependent on a limited/non-renewable resource. In the case of wind or hydro power it’ll be dependent on the rare metals in the generators, in solar it’ll depend on the rare elements in the solar panels, in coal and nuclear plants it’ll depend on the fuel. same goes for storing the energy or converting it. maybe the best solution really is to create and employ multiple methods(i.e. use gas, diesel, hybrid,etc.) and continue pursuing others(solar, hydrogen, etc.) without discontinuing any others. that way if one resource is depleted, we aren’t left with no viable solution.
08/31, 3:17 PM
posted by:
Sgt Pepper
Ahh I’m sure the Canadians will be willing to strip mine more of their Rockies for US.
08/31, 3:54 PM
posted by:
TL
I smell sleazy business tactics.
08/31, 4:03 PM
posted by:
teahead
CNG!
08/31, 5:08 PM
posted by:
gta89mike
I love it how whenever there is a positive article about hybrids, they put a picture of a Prius. Now when there is a negative article about hybrids, they put a picture of GM’s hybrid logo.
08/31, 5:30 PM
posted by:
trantz
I say if you can’t pronounce the metal we don’t need them.
08/31, 6:50 PM
posted by:
A4
guess what to everyone who wants hydrogen: they still run on electric motors.
08/31, 11:23 PM
posted by:
reedfast
Guess who’s laughing now hippies and greenies? I am.
Back on point, for those who say that there are no reusable forms of energy, you are wrong.
It is called geothermal heating. It works by burrowing down into the earth about 500-1000 ft. You then have a water storage tankon the end of the pipe in the ground that focuses it’s energy to boil the water, spinning a turbine, and producing electricity. There is also Hydro- Electric dam and methane evaporation that spins a turbine by using methane from landfills. They all can work without batteries. Unfortunately, none of them can power a car. =( So heat your house with one of these three, and buy a diesel. That is how to be the most environmentally conscious in my opinion.
09/01, 5:55 AM
posted by:
carbonsigma
I don’t see how diesel is going to solve any problems.