New Delhi, July 15 -- Indian auto component and two-wheeler makers have devised a plan to break free from China's stranglehold on magnets: replace heavy rare-earth elements with light ones, or better yet, build magnet-free automotive motors.

Sona Comstar, the country's eighth largest parts maker, has developed new motors using light rare earth elements like cerium, samarium and neodymium,according to a top company executive.Ather Energy Ltd's co-founder and chief executive Tarun Mehta, too, toldMintthat the two-wheeler industry can move towards light rare earth magnets.Meanwhile, Ola Electric's founder and managing director Bhavish Aggarwal informed investors on Monday that the company has developed magnet-free motors, which will be inst...