Modal Motors Targets China-Free Electric Motors Without Rare Earth Magnets
Modal Motors is developing rare earth-free drone and flat electric motors in the US, aiming to break dependence on China’s rare earth magnet supply chain.
Summary
As of September 23, 2026, Modal Motors founder Michael Van Steenburg is developing US-made electric motors without rare earth magnets, seeking to remove China from the supply chain amid efforts to reshore drone and robotics manufacturing. He says China has repeatedly restricted rare earth access, while domestic supplies remain years away and US rivals still depend on Chinese magnets. He attributes that vulnerability to China’s 25-year acquisition of mines and mineral rights, which he says enabled control of the rare earth supply chain.
Modal is preparing two products for Startup Battlefield 200 at Disrupt in San Francisco from October 13 to 15, 2026. A compact motor for drones, fans, blowers and actuators targets minimum mass, maximum torque density and efficiency. The Hybrid Enigma Drive is a planar, flat motor for low-profile spaces. Van Steenburg spent the past decade building motors in the US and North America, backed by decades in the automotive industry. In the late 1990s, he worked on a hybrid gas-electric drivetrain China wanted for its People’s Car. Both Modal products remain under development as the company works to make them customer-ready, with no launch timing given.
Positives
- Modal Motors is developing two electric motor designs that eliminate rare earth magnets from their supply chains.
- The compact motor targets drones, fans, blowers and actuators while minimizing mass and maximizing torque density and efficiency.
- The Hybrid Enigma Drive uses a flat, planar architecture intended for low-profile spaces.
- Michael Van Steenburg brings a decade of North American motor manufacturing and decades of automotive experience.
- Startup Battlefield 200 will give Modal Motors a platform at Disrupt from October 13 to 15, 2026.
Risks & concerns
- Domestic rare earth supplies remain years away, leaving US motor manufacturers dependent on foreign materials.
- China has repeatedly restricted access to rare earth products, according to Michael Van Steenburg.
- Competing reshoring efforts still rely on Chinese rare earth magnets and motor designs, Van Steenburg argues.
- Both Modal Motors products remain under development, with customer readiness and launch timing still unclear.