The rare earth metal supply crisis has affected the auto industry in a diverse manner. It was first thought that such a crisis would affect EV manufacturing at most, but recent trends have revealed how applications such as motor sensors and other components have been affected by the changes as well.
Royal Enfield’s Circular to the Dealers
Royal Enfield has made a move to work around rare-earth supply constraints by removing the gear shift indicator from its 350cc J-series motorcycles. Autocar has revealed the new detail in a recent report. The report further reveals that the same applies to a few of the other bikes in the company’s 350cc lineup that were equipped with a gear position indicator.
As per Autocar, this is a temporary measure. Royal Enfield has issued a circular to its dealers, stating that the bikes have been sold without a sensor installed and will be equipped with one whenever stock is available. So, users planning to buy a new Royal Enfield 350cc bike might soon have to ride without a gear shift indicator.
Currently, the rare earth metal situation is slowly improving, and it’s not as bad as it was a few years ago. Royal Enfield seems to be the only manufacturer that has taken a step like this so far.
