Datastream
The Global Chip Shortage Impact on American Automakers
The Briefing
- Delays in semiconductor (chip) manufacturing are hitting vehicle production, with more than 1 million vehicles delayed in North America alone.
- American-based manufacturers Ford, Stellantis and GM are taking the hardest hit, combining for a delay of 855,000 vehicles.
- Modern cars are built with anywhere between 500-1,500 different chips.
The Global Chip Shortage Impact on American Automakers
Chips, or semiconductor devices, are behind all of the world’s increasingly complex electrical and digital devices.
That includes well-known items like computers and smartphones, but also other products that are becoming “smarter” including appliances, watches, and especially cars.
The automotive industry accounts for a large share of global chip consumption, with modern cars having smart and complex entertainment systems, navigation, and sensors. A modern car can have anywhere from 500-1,500 different chips powering its different functions.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, shifting consumer demands and a slowing economy called for a reduction in semiconductor manufacturing. And unfortunately, it can take the supply chain a long time to come back online, as much as 1.5 years.
American Manufacturers Take the Biggest Hit
As the global economy has started to bounce back and demand for digital devices has increased, the chip manufacturing supply chain has become strained on its still-low supply.
And unfortunately for automakers, cars are taking the brunt of the hit.
Manufacturer | Model | Estimated Volume Impact (10k+) |
---|---|---|
Ford | Ford F-Series | 109,710 |
Stellantis | Jeep Cherokee | 98,584 |
GM | Chevrolet Equinox | 81,833 |
GM | Chevrolet Malibu | 56,929 |
Ford | Ford Explorer | 46,766 |
Stellantis | Jeep Compass | 42,195 |
Ford | Ford Edge | 37,521 |
Ford | Ford Escape | 36,463 |
Ford | Ford Transit | 26,507 |
Stellantis | Chrysler Voyager | 25,728 |
Subaru | Subaru Outback | 23,882 |
Stellantis | Chrysler Pacifica | 19,601 |
GM | GMC Terrain | 18,417 |
GM | Chevrolet Express | 18,268 |
Volkswagen | Volkswagen Jetta | 18,044 |
GM | Chevrolet Colorado | 15,153 |
Stellantis | Ram 1500 | 14,793 |
Stellantis | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 14,731 |
GM | Chevrolet Blazer | 14,418 |
Stellantis | Dodge Charger | 13,492 |
GM | Cadillac XT4 | 12,233 |
Ford | Ford Mustang | 12,019 |
Volkswagen | Volkswagen Tiguan | 12,010 |
Toyota | Toyota Tundra | 11,411 |
Ford | Lincoln Nautilus | 10,601 |
Subaru | Subaru Ascent | 10,508 |
GM | Chevrolet Camaro | 10,489 |
Honda | Honda Civic | 10,206 |
Though most of the world’s major automakers have factory production in North America, American-based manufacturers are estimated to take the hardest hit.
Of the more than 1.1 million vehicles estimated to face production delays, Ford, Stellantis, and GM combine for 855,000. Ford specifically has five of the top 10 models facing delays, including the largest hit: the F-series at 109,710 delayed units.
Manufacturer | Estimated Volume Impact |
---|---|
Ford | 324,616 |
General Motors | 277,966 |
Stellantis | 252,193 |
Subaru | 45,272 |
Volkswagen | 45,215 |
Honda | 42,951 |
Nissan | 41,928 |
Toyota | 23,670 |
Tesla | 6,418 |
Mazda | 6,133 |
COMPAS | 4,200 |
Hyundai | 2,548 |
Volvo | 1,287 |
Other automakers with less production based in North America are facing far softer impacts. Japanese automakers Honda, Nissan, and Toyota are estimated to take a collective hit of 108,549 delayed models, while companies like Hyundai and Volvo have less than 3,000 vehicles impacted.
The biggest reason for the discrepancy? Where each automaker sources and installs its chips. For American manufacturers in particular, the over-dependence on chips coming through China, Korea, and Taiwan has caused the current U.S. government to look for solutions, with the Senate recently approving $52 billion in subsidies for local chip manufacturing.
When the chip shortage will end is currently anybody’s guess, as manufacturers and countries are scrambling to increase capacity. Whether the financial influx from the U.S. will be enough, and how long it will take to affect a very-slow manufacturing process, remains up in the air.
Where does this data come from?
Source: AutoForecast Solutions, Detroit Free Press.
Datastream
Charted: The Ukraine War Civilian Death Toll
Using data from the UN, this chart shows civilian death toll figures resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Briefing
- In total, since the war began in February there have been over 7,031 Ukrainian civilian deaths
- Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons, such as missiles and heavy artillery
Charted: The Ukraine War Civilian Death Toll
Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has wrought suffering and death on a mass scale, with many Russian attacks targeted at civilians.
We’ve created this visual using data from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to better understand how many civilians have died in Ukraine as a result of the war, as well as how many were injured and how many were children.
The Numbers
As of early December, it is reported that 7,031 people in Ukraine have died because of the war — 433 of them children. Another 11,327 have been injured, 827 of which are children. In total, this is over 18,000 people killed or injured.
The figures are difficult to verify due to differing reports coming out of both Russia and Ukraine. The UN OHCHR anticipates that the numbers could be even higher.
The State of the Conflict
The war began on February 24th, 2022 and less than a year in, millions of people have been displaced by the conflict, and thousands of civilians have been injured or killed.
According to the UN, most of the civilian deaths have been caused by wide-ranging explosives such as heavy artillery shelling, missiles, and air strikes, and have been concentrated in Donetsk and Luhansk and in other territory still held by Ukraine.
Additionally, new estimates from Kyiv report approximately 13,000 Ukrainian military or soldier deaths, which has yet to be confirmed by the army.
Where does this data come from?
Source: The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights monthly reports on civilian deaths in Ukraine.
Note: Data on deaths and injuries can vary wildly depending on the source.
-
Markets2 weeks ago
The Biggest Global Risks of 2023
-
Markets4 weeks ago
Top Heavy: Countries by Share of the Global Economy
-
Politics1 week ago
Visualizing the World’s Top 25 Fleets of Combat Tanks
-
Money4 weeks ago
U.S. Inflation: How Much Have Prices Increased?
-
Energy1 week ago
The Periodic Table of Commodity Returns (2013-2022)
-
Misc4 weeks ago
Infographic: The Longest Lasting Cars, in Miles
-
Politics1 week ago
Which Countries are the Most Polarized?
-
Markets3 weeks ago
The U.S. Stock Market: Best and Worst Performing Sectors in 2022