PASSENGER business case 1: e-mobility

The market for Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs), including e-scooters, e-bikes and e-motorbikes, is experiencing rapid growth across Europe, driven by affordable electrification, new mobility models and EU decarbonisation goals. However, LEV manufacturers face a critical vulnerability: dependence on neodymium–iron–boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets exposes them  to Critical Raw Materials (CRM) supply risks, high price volatility and significant environmental impacts associated with rare earth mining.

The PASSENGER project addresses this challenge by developing Rare Earth-free permanent magnets based on MnAlC (manganese–aluminium–carbon) and Strontium Ferrite (Sr-ferrite) are being developed as European alternatives to NdFeB magnets. These materials aim to reduce CRM dependency, enable secure supply chains and deliver substantially lower environmental impact..

This Business Case evaluates the market opportunity, economic potential and sustainability impact of adopting PASSENGER magnets in e-mobility, focusing on LEV drive systems.