Re Scrap Monster article What a waste that article is. The main use of rare earths in both e-vehicles and e-bikes is the magnets needed for the motors not various sensors. Also unless Lithium, cobalt, and nickel have recently been classified as rare earth elements recycling them will produce very little if any.
Air conditioners contain a lot of steel, copper and aluminum but there again probably no more than a trace of REE.
Even Junior High school students have to do research before writing.