I’ve been tracking the semiconductor bottlenecks for years, but the latest wave of shortages feels different — and it matters for anyone waiting on an electric vehicle (EV). When customers ask me whether their pre-ordered EV will arrive on time, the short answer I give now is: it depends — on the chips, the carmaker’s supply strategy, and a string of interlinked parts and software dependencies that rarely make headlines. Here’s what I’ve learned, and what I wish more people understood about why semiconductor shortages ripple directly into EV delivery timelines.
Which chips matter for EVs — and why they’re not all the same
When most people hear “chip shortage,” they think of one tiny component. The reality: modern cars, especially EVs, contain hundreds of different semiconductor types. Some are common to internal-combustion cars; others are highly specific to electric powertrains, battery management, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).
Here are the categories that most affect EV deliveries:
Shortage pressure on any one of these categories can stall production. For example, Tesla’s ability to fast-track over-the-air updates depends on SoCs and memory; an automaker may build the vehicle chassis but can’t deliver it without the final electronic units installed and tested.
How the shortage translates into delivery delays
There are several mechanisms by which chip scarcity delays deliveries:
In practice this means a customer waiting for a Polestar 2, a Rivian R1S, or an EV from a legacy maker like Ford or GM could see timelines slip by weeks or months — depending largely on which chips are in short supply and how flexible the manufacturer is in redesigning around alternatives.
Real-world examples and brand strategies
We’ve seen concrete cases where automakers either chose to pause shipments or alter specs. For example:
On the flip side, companies that invested early in long-term contracts with chipmakers, or that designed modular architectures allowing alternative suppliers, have fared better. That’s why brand reputation for on-time delivery increasingly hinges on procurement strategy as much as on factory efficiency.
What automakers can — and can’t — do to fix it quickly
There’s a misconception that automakers can simply “order more chips.” Many are bound by lead times, foundry capacities, and the economics of chip design. Here’s what they can realistically pursue:
They can’t, however, conjure additional foundry capacity overnight. Building new semiconductor fabs takes years and billions of dollars — hence why national policy and long-term investment matter.
What buyers should consider now
If you’re waiting for an EV, here’s what I’d advise based on conversations with industry insiders and my own reporting:
Policy and the longer-term picture
From where I sit, the chip shortage underlines a broader structural challenge: the global semiconductor supply chain is a strategic asset that intersects technology, trade policy, and national security. Governments in the U.S., EU, Japan, and elsewhere are pouring money into new fabs and incentivizing onshore production, but results will take years to materialize.
In the near term, the industry will lean on three stopgaps: design modularity, stronger supplier partnerships, and prioritizing safety-critical components. As a buyer, that means being prepared for staggered feature delivery, occasional delays, and a landscape where brands that invested in resilient supply chains are more likely to honor promised timelines.
I’ll keep tracking how specific chip categories and supplier moves affect EV rollouts, and I’ll update readers at Thepostview when there are signs of real improvement or fresh disruptions. In the meantime, if you’ve been told your EV delivery is delayed, look at the part-level reasons — that will tell you whether the delay is temporary and likely to be resolved quickly, or whether it’s part of a deeper supply-chain reconfiguration that could push timelines further out.
