Dysprosium
A heavy rare earth element added to neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets to improve high-temperature performance in EV traction motors.
Overview
Dysprosium is a heavy rare earth element (HREE) that plays a critical but often overlooked role in electric vehicle technology. Its primary automotive application is as an additive (typically 2–8% by weight) to neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets, where it dramatically improves the coercivity and high-temperature performance of the magnets. Without dysprosium additions, NdFeB magnets lose their magnetic properties at the elevated operating temperatures found in EV traction motors, which can reach 150–200°C. As EV adoption accelerates, demand for dysprosium is rising sharply. Heavy rare earths like dysprosium are significantly more scarce and geographically concentrated than light rare earths, with China controlling the vast majority of global supply through its deposits in southern China. This makes dysprosium one of the most critically supply-constrained materials in the entire EV supply chain. The automotive industry is actively researching reduced-dysprosium magnet formulations and alternative motor designs such as wound-field synchronous motors that eliminate rare earth magnets entirely.
Automotive Applications
Similar Materials
Lanthanum
Rare Earth Element
The lightest rare-earth metal, used in nickel–metal hydride battery electrodes, FCC and automotive catalysts, optical glasses and polishing compounds. Abundant among REEs but still tied to concentrated separation capacity.
Terbium
Rare Earth Element
A heavy rare-earth metal used in small additions to raise high-temperature coercivity of NdFeB magnets for under-hood and high-duty EV motors. Extremely supply-constrained relative to light rare earths.
Cobalt
Transition Metal
A hard, lustrous metal that is a critical component in lithium-ion battery cathodes used in electric and hybrid vehicles.
Copper
Pure Copper
Highly conductive metal essential for electrical systems
Properties
Category
Type
Rare Earth Element
Available Colors
Available Forms
Key Properties
- Dramatically improves NdFeB magnet coercivity
- Enables motor operation at high temperatures (150–200°C)
- High neutron absorption cross-section
- Extremely scarce heavy rare earth
- High magnetic susceptibility
- Brittle in pure form
Technical Specifications
Density
8.55 g/cm³
Temperature Resistance
Effective in magnets up to 200°C+
Sustainability
Sustainability Rating
Dysprosium is one of the scarcest and most geopolitically sensitive materials in the automotive supply chain. Mining is predominantly in China's southern provinces and carries significant environmental and regulatory risks. Recycling rates from end-of-life motors are extremely low. The EU lists dysprosium as a Critical Raw Material with high supply risk. OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are actively working to reduce dysprosium content per motor and develop magnet-free motor architectures.