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Ford Reduces Use of Rare Earths with Fusion Hybrid Battery

Ford has developed a third generation hybrid system for the Fusion the C-Max which replaces the nickel-metal-hydride batteries with new lighter, more efficient lithium-ion batteries, the company said today.
2013 Ford Fusion 1 photo
Photo: Ford
This is expected to reduce the use of rare earth metals by up to 500,000 pounds a year for Ford, something that helps to make hybrids cheaper and the production process much “cleaner”. Also, lithium-ion batteries are 50 percent lighter and 25 to 30 percent smaller.

“We’re continually looking to find ways to provide greater fuel efficiency as well as cost savings to customers of our hybrid vehicles, and the reduction of rare earth metals is a key part of this strategy,” said Chuck Gray, chief engineer, Global Core Engineering, Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.“The third-generation hybrid technology we are now using builds on our 20 years of electric vehicle innovations.”

Nickel-metal-hydride batteries use rare earths like neodymium, cerium, lanthanum and praseodymium, none of which are used in the new lithium-ion batteries.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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