In 2017, Nissan began collaborating with Waseda University, which has a record of researching non-ferrous metal recycling and smelting.
Most EV motors in electrified vehicles use neodymium magnets, which contain scarce rare-earth metals such as neodymium and dysprosium. Reducing the use of scarce rare earths is essential not only because of the environmental impact of mining and refining, but also because the shifting balance of supply and demand leads to price fluctuations for both manufacturers and consumers.
