Circular Value Chains for Rare Earth Elements in Electric Motors: Design Challenge and Solutions

The rising demand for electric vehicles determines an increasing demand of rare earth elements (REE) in high-performance magnets. As REE are critical raw materials, solutions that enhance the circularity of REE - i.e. their reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling in the related value chains – are needed. While innovative technologies are available, these solutions are still far from implementation in industry. To understand this challenge, this paper focuses on electric motors, and identifies a configuration of the electric motor’s value chain that supports the circularity of REE. Based on literature and on the authors’ experience, technologies and solutions that promise to support the circularity of REE in this circular configuration are pinpointed. The provided overview can be used in future research to support industrial implementation of circular solutions for REE in the value chain of electric motors. In future research, collaboration among different stakeholders (e.g. product designer, manufacturer, distributor, etc.) should be facilitated. The provided analysis can be used by researchers to develop systemic application-focused solutions, moreover, it can be used by industrials and policy makers to identify feasible alternatives to this holistic challenge.