Has The Success Of the Hybrid In America Made Even More Dependent On Foreign Resources?

That makes Toyota's market-leading gasoline-electric hybrid car and other similar vehicles vulnerable to a supply crunch predicted by experts as China, the world's dominant rare earths producer, limits exports while global demand swells.

Worldwide demand for rare earths, covering 15 entries on the periodic table of elements, is expected to exceed supply by some 40,000 tonnes annually in several years unless major new production sources are developed. One promising U.S. source is a rare earths mine slated to reopen in California by 2012.


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Joe_Limon - 9/2/2009 6:22:13 PM

0 Boost

Remind me how much non rare earth motors weigh again per hp? If you have ever seen a 30+ hp ac induction motor you would understand why they don't use them.

Also, you seem to be very optimistic on the amount of cars that will be recycled. If the govt intervenes hard core it might happen to a reasonable degree, if it doesn't I believe 60% recycle rates are stuff of dreams.

Anthony - 9/2/2009 6:16:36 PM

+8 Boost

Newsflash:

As human beings, we are always going to be using the earth's resources.

Joe_Limon - 9/3/2009 12:01:49 AM

-1 Boost

the reason is because of people, people are lazy, and the last people to generally buy cars don't give a shit for the environment. It's not that it isn't doable physically, it isn't doable demographically.

Agent009 - 9/3/2009 8:20:44 AM

0 Boost

Last time I looked Toyota was only one of the companies making hybrids...