Nissan launches new electric vehicle generator with less dysprosium use

Nissan has developed a new electric motor that uses 40% less rare earth element dysprosium ( Dy ) than conventional electric motors . This new environmentally friendly motor will be installed in the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle.

The electric motors with NdFeB magnets as magnetic materials in electric vehicles require compact structure and excellent performance. Dysprosium is mixed with NdFeB magnets to enhance the heat resistance of the motor. In traditional electric vehicles, dysprosium is uniformly added to the NdFeB magnets, but in new motors, the grain boundary diffusion process is used. Due to the demand for energy-saving motors in automotive and electronic applications, the application of sintered NdFeB, which is widely used in VCM , motors, signal generators, mobile phones and MRJ , will be further expanded in the motor market. The improvement of magnetic properties such as remanence and coercivity is conducive to the rapid growth of sintered magnets in the motor market. Usually, the improvement of some properties of sintered magnets is always at the expense of other properties. Compared with traditional similar magnets, the coercivity and remanence of grain boundary diffused dysprosium sintered magnets can be improved at the same time.

Instead of adding dysprosium to the magnet, the new process distributes the dysprosium at each grain boundary, which helps improve the magnet's heat resistance. The result is that the same performance level can be achieved with 40% less dysprosium than before.

Dysprosium is a very rare element, and the demand for it has increased due to the growth in demand for electric vehicles and home appliances. However, with the call for environmental protection and clean energy this year, companies are developing methods to reduce their dependence on rare earth elements.

Nissan is also committed to this. Reducing the use of dysprosium in electric motors is only the first step. The ultimate goal is to completely replace dysprosium with other elements.

“Nissan Green Plan 2016 ” One of the priorities of Nissan's mid-term environmental action plan is to minimize the use of natural resources. In addition to dysprosium, Nissan is also reducing the use of cerium ( Ce ) and lanthanum ( La ) in catalytic exhaust components.