Van Steenburg's rare-earth gamble

Michael Van Steenburg spent a decade building electric motors in North America. Now his startup Modal Motors wants to ditch rare-earth magnets entirely.

China's supply chain stranglehold

Van Steenburg says China has already restricted rare-earth access and controls the global supply chain. He sees breaking that dependence as urgent.

“China's already flexed its muscles a couple times.”

Other companies are doing it wrong

Competitors are reshoring motor manufacturing but still rely on rare-earth magnets. Van Steenburg argues domestic supplies are years away.

“They're basically knocking off Chinese motors and just doing it in the U.S.”

Two motors in development

Modal is building a small drone motor for fans and blowers, plus a flat Hybrid Enigma Drive that fits in low-profile spaces.

From China's People's Car to independence

Van Steenburg once designed hybrid drivetrains China wanted for its People's Car. Now he's working to cut China out of motors entirely.

“It's kind of comical.”

Twenty-five years of watching monopoly grow

Van Steenburg says China has spent decades acquiring mines and mineral rights, slowly monopolizing the rare-earth supply chain worldwide.

“The clock started ticking twenty five years ago.”

Disrupt debut next month

Modal Motors competes in Startup Battlefield two hundred at TechCrunch Disrupt next month, pitching its rare-earth-free alternative to investors.