FRANKFURT – BMW cautioned on Friday that a chip shortfall plaguing the auto industry might result in further lost output, saying the scarcity showed no signs of abating and supply would remain tight in the second half of the year. Production was interrupted at several facilities on a daily or shift-by-shift basis, according to Milan Nedeljkovic, BMW board member in charge of production, who added that lost output so far this year totaled roughly 30,000 “units.”
He went on to say that there could be more deficits in the future.
“Semiconductor supply is absolutely crucial,” Nedeljkovic said at a press conference announcing the commencement of serial manufacturing of BMW’s iX electric sport utility vehicle.
“The forecast for the second half of the year is also bleak. It’s tough to believe the… original assumption that it’ll be brought under control quickly and covered in the first half of the year.” Nedeljkovic made the remarks as BMW announced intentions to dramatically increase electric car manufacturing at its Dingolfing facility, which accounted for more than a tenth of overall production last year, aided by the iX SUV.
Last year, the luxury carmaker produced more than 18,000 electric cars at the plant, accounting for around 8% of total output, with that percentage set to grow to 16% in 2021.
BMW has stated that by the middle of the decade, half of the vehicles produced in Dingolfing will be electric.
(Christoph Steitz contributed reporting; Kirsti Knolle and Alexander Smith edited the piece.)/n
