China’s rare-earth clampdown could stall carmaker output

Global auto executives are sounding the alarm on an impending shortage of rare-earth magnets from China — used in everything from windshield-wiper motors to anti-lock braking sensors — that could, in a worst-case scenario, force the closure of car factories within weeks.

In a previously unreported May 9 letter to officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump, the head of the trade group representing General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai and other major carmakers raised urgent concerns.

“Without reliable access to these elements and magnets, automotive suppliers will be unable to produce critical automotive components, including automatic transmissions, throttle bodies, alternators, various motors, sensors, seat belts, speakers, lights, motors, power steering, and cameras,” the Alliance for Automotive Innovation wrote.

The letter, which also was signed by the Motors & Equipment Association (Mema), , added that, without those essential automotive components, it would only be a matter of time before US vehicle factories are disrupted.

“In severe cases, this could include the need for reduced production volumes or even a shutdown of vehicle assembly lines,” the groups said.

Both Alliance CEO John Bozzella and Mema CEO Bill Long told Reuters on Friday the situation was not resolved and remained a concern. They expressed gratitude for the Trump administration's high-level engagement to prevent disruption to US car production and the supply chain.

Bozzella noted that the automotive issue was on the agenda during Treasury secretary Scott Bessent and US trade representative Jamieson Greer's talks with their Chinese counterparts in Geneva earlier this month.

Greer told CNBC on Friday that China had agreed to lift restrictions on the exports of rare-earth magnets to US companies but was not moving fast enough to grant access for key US industries. “We haven't seen the flow of some of those critical minerals as they were supposed to be doing.”

China — which controls more than 90% of global processing capacity for the magnets used in everything from cars and fighter jets to home appliances — imposed restrictions in early April, requiring exporters to obtain licences from Beijing.

Rare-earth magnet exports from China halved in April as companies grappled with an opaque application process for permits that sometimes requires hundreds of pages of documents.

In a social media post Friday, Trump accused China of violating the terms of a deal reached this month to temporarily dial back tariffs and other trade restrictions.

“China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

China's embassy in Washington responded by saying it was the US that was abusing export controls in the semiconductor sector.

A US official with knowledge of the talks told Reuters that only tariffs and Chinese non-tariff countermeasures were covered in Geneva talks, and that US export controls were not part of the deal.

The official also expressed frustration that Beijing appeared to be moving slowly on promises to issue rare-earth export licences, which could kick-start export control retaliation by Washington if carmakers vulnerable to shortages of the minerals are forced to halt production.

While a handful of licences have been granted, including to some Volkswagen suppliers, Indian carmakers say they still have received none and will have to stop production in early June.

German car parts maker Bosch said this week that its suppliers have been bogged down by China's more rigorous procedures to receive export licences.

A Bosch spokesperson described the process as “complex and time-consuming, partly due to the need to collect and provide a lot of information”.