China Withholds Valuable Materials Needed for Electric Cars From Japan [Electric Cars]

Unless China and Japan can deal with their shit and the exportation of rare earth elements can proceed into Japan, the long run of electric cars may be thrown into jeopardy. Production of cars like the Prius could slow down dangerously.

According to the NY Times, a tiff between China and Japan over the capture of a Chinese fishing trawler captain after he was caught fishing in Japanese waters (and then collided into two Coast Guard ships) has escalated to the point where China is reportedly refusing to export the sought-after elements for use in electric car manufacturing.

Cars inclusive of Toyota’s Prius use 1kg of neodymium and up to 15kg of lanthanum (pictured) per unit in production, and with China holding 90 per cent of the sector’s neodymium under lock and key, Japan shall be eager to tackle this ” business matter” fairly quickly.

According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economics, nothing amiss has happened-but if Japan doesn’t get anywhere with their talks, they are forced to take it up with the realm Trade Organization. [ NY Times via Salon ]

Image Credit: Thermograde

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This post is tagged: business matter, coast guard ships, fishing trawler, japanese waters, ministry of foreign, rare earth elements, trade organization