AsianFin -- In a 3,500-square-foot laboratory in Faridabad, northern India, engineers at Sterling Gtake E-Mobility are racing to test a new electric vehicle (EV) motor that could reduce New Delhi’s heavy dependence on China for rare earth minerals, a key component in traditional EV technology.

Unlike conventional EV motors, Sterling’s prototype does not use rare-earth magnets—a technology that, while established, remains rare in commercial EV applications. If successful, it could prove transformative for India, the world’s third-largest car market, which has been grappling with the fallout from China’s export curbs on critical minerals.

“We want to be in commercial production as soon as possible,” Sterling Managing Director Jaideep Wadhwa said, highlighting the company’s accelerated timeline.

Seven Indian automakers are currently evaluating the motors. If approved, production could begin within a year—well ahead of Sterling’s initial 2029 target. The accelerated schedule comes after China announced rare earth export restrictions in April in response to U.S. tariffs, leaving India effectively cut off from imports amid ongoing political tensions.