UK rare-earth-free motor-maker wins contract for volume car uses
24 October 2025 
A UK electric motor developer has secured a seven-figure contract from “a global tier one company” to develop rare-earth-free motors for high-volume passenger car applications. Advanced Electric Machines (AEM), based in Washington in Tyne and Wear, has also announced a technology demonstrator of a high-speed reluctance motor that uses only widely-available materials, avoiding the need for neodymium, dysprosium and other rare-earth materials.
AEM claims that the specifications of its SSRD (Super Speed Reluctance Motor) demonstrator match or exceed those of conventional permanent magnet alternatives. It can operate at speeds of up to 30,000 rpm, and is said to offer high efficiency in real-life motoring applications.
The motor’s recyclable design eliminates permanent magnets as well as copper coils, combining a simple construction that allows cost-effective manufacturing, with enhanced supply chain resilience. The company believes that it represents “a fundamental breakthrough” that proves that high-performance electric motors can achieve excellent results using abundant materials.
The 10.4kg motor can deliver a peak power of 308kW (138kW continuous) and a peak torque of 378Nm. It uses compressed aluminium coils, said to improve power density and heat transfer capabilities, with a reduced packing space. The motor is cooled using a water and glycol mix, and is controlled by a patented inverter technology. There is no risk of demagnetisation, allowing the motors to run faster and hotter. There are no cogging or electromagnetic drag losses at high speeds, resulting in high operating efficiencies.
“This technology demonstrator proves that British innovation can address one of the automotive industry’s key supply chain challenges,” says AEM’s CEO and co-founder, Dr James Widmer. “We’re demonstrating a path to enhanced supply chain resilience, while delivering superior performance outcomes for our customers.
“We’re proving that supply chain diversification is achievable today,” he adds. “This demonstrator shows passenger car manufacturers that they can achieve superior performance while building more resilient and flexible supply chains.”
AEM, located in the Northeast of England, was founded in 2017 when it was spun out from Newcastle University’s electric motor research team, led by Widmer and by the company’s chief technology officer, Dr Andy Steven. Its vision is to design and build the world’s most sustainable EV motors for the automotive and transport sectors. The company’s technologies are covered by 46 international patents that protect its motor designs and manufacturing processes.
Much of the automotive industry currently relies on rare-earth permanent magnet motors to power electric vehicles. This has created a supply chain concentration that presents strategic challenges for the sector. With more than 85% of the world’s rare-earth processing capacity concentrated in China, manufacturers face potential vulnerabilities from supply disruptions, price volatility, and the challenges of concentrated supply chains.
AEM argues that its SSRD technology addresses these challenges. Unlike traditional permanent magnet motors that require neodymium, dysprosium, and other problem materials, the SSRD motor achieves industry-leading performance using only abundant materials available from diverse global sources.
AEM says it proves that British innovation can deliver ways to enhance supply chain resilience. The passenger car demonstrator represents a crucial milestone in demonstrating the viability of alternative approaches to motor technology.
