Without enough EVs to replace gas-guzzlers, net-zero is doomed to fail
Sold out EVs are causing big problems
End of the road?
So what has gone wrong? To begin with, in the early days of electric vehicles, manufacturers were playing their cards safe. This was a new and unknown world for them, and it wasn’t clear if other competing technologies (such as hydrogen power) might be more popular with consumers. But batteries won out, and consumer demand – helped along by those plans to ban petrol and diesel – soared.
Current issues have been brought on in part by COVID-19 affecting global supply chains and a shortage of semiconductors, a vital component of modern vehicles.
In spring 2022, Tesla had to close its Shanghai factoryfor three weeksdue to lockdowns in China. Before that, it was producing around2,000 cars per dayfor the Asian and European markets, so may have lost production of around 42,000 vehicles.
This equates to around three months’ supply for a market like the UK. And just when it got the factory back open, it had toreduce productiondue to supply chain issues.
This is because Tesla doesn’t make all the parts to build the cars in the one factory (although it produces more than theindustry average), so as the factories that supply Tesla also shut due to lockdowns, the necessary parts do not arrive. CEO Elon Musk has now suggested his company may stop taking orders,tellingthe Financial Times: “The frustration we’re seeing from customers is being unable to get them a car.”
He added: “We are actually probably going to stop taking orders beyond a certain period of time because some of the timing is a year away.”
Again, it is certainly not just Tesla that is affected. Semiconductor issues are ongoing, and many vehicles are beingshipped without features, or parked in fieldswaiting for parts.
These backlogs will take a long time to clear, and will be a major headache for everyone concerned. Manufacturers and customers will be frustrated, while politicians relying on electric vehicles for the future of transport policy may need to adjust their expectations and demands.
Most importantly, the current situation is a terrible blow for global efforts toreduce carbon emissionsand deal with climate change.
Pushing back important targets on road vehicles could be catastrophic for the planet, but we still need vehicles. We may now have to shift towards using fewer cars through more ride-sharing, or look to alternative forms of transport, and even converting older cars to electric. If we don’t, the drive to net-zero could soon be running on empty.
This article byTom Stacey, Senior Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management, atAnglia Ruskin University, is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
Story byThe Conversation
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