Highlights
- Kinetic Green CEO Sulajja Firodia Motwani warns India’s EV manufacturers are not ready for rare earth supply constraints.
- India needs 2-3 years to localize or redesign EV motor components amid China’s export controls.
- Government incentive programs like National Critical Mineral Mission aim to support domestic EV manufacturing resilience.
In a rare moment of clear-eyed candor, Kinetic Green (opens in a new tab) CEO Sulajja Firodia Motwani (opens in a new tab) made headlines July 20 by stating the obvious—but often avoided—truth: India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector is not ready for a rare earth squeeze. Speaking at the launch of a luxury golf cart collaboration with Italy’s Tonino Lamborghini, Motwani didn’t mince words. “It’s not easy to change your product design and supply chain,” she warned, calling for urgent government-to-government intervention and continued domestic support.
Where the Gears Mesh: What Holds Up
Motwani is absolutely right that India’s EV manufacturers remain deeply dependent on imported rare earth magnets—particularly those used in drive motors. Her estimate of a 2–3 year timeline to localize or redesign around these materials is both realistic and well-supported by industry norms.
China’s April 2025 export controls have tightened supply globally, leaving India vulnerable just as it begins to scale EV production.
She also makes a fair historical comparison to COVID-era semiconductor shortages. In that case, India’s government intervened with incentives and strategic planning—actions now being echoed in the rare earth space. Programs like the ₹16,300 crore National Critical Mineral Mission and the ₹1,345 crore magnet manufacturing incentive scheme lend credence to her optimism—if tempered.
Source: LinkedIn
Fog Advisory: Where Clarity Slips
The piece, however, drifts into ambiguity when suggesting that the EV sector is “scrambling but managing” in the short term. While some firms may have short-term inventory buffers or are exploring ferrite-based alternatives, most industry players remain tethered to Chinese supply. No hard data is provided to quantify the number of Indian EV makers with viable substitutes or the potential short-term damage.
There’s also an unchallenged framing that pits legacy ICE (internal combustion engine) manufacturers as obstacles to EV adoption. While there’s some truth to entrenched interests resisting disruption, this oversimplifies the picture—many ICE giants are heavily investing in EV pivot strategies themselves.
REEx Final Take
This interview-centered article is refreshingly grounded, with an executive admitting what many won’t: India needs time, tech, and coordinated diplomacy to avoid rare earth whiplash. There’s no speculative grandstanding, no geopolitical melodrama—just a sober status report. And in a sector flooded with hype, that’s rare earth gold.
The Company
Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions Ltd., led by CEO Sulajja Firodia Motwani, is an Indian electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer specializing in three-wheelers, two-wheelers, and electric golf and lifestyle carts. A subsidiary of the legacy-rich Firodia Group, Kinetic Green is at the forefront of India’s push toward sustainable mobility, with active partnerships—including one with Tonino Lamborghini—and a focus on localizing EV supply chains amid rare earth dependencies. Backed by government incentives and recent private funding, the company is investing in R&D, battery-swapping infrastructure, and international collaborations to scale production and reduce reliance on China-dominated critical minerals.
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