Is There a Mitsubishi Chip Shortage?

The onset and continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic since March of 2020 has wreaked havoc on virtually every industry in the world—and the auto industry is no exception. While the auto industry has shown incredible resilience over the past year and a half and vehicle sales on the mainstream auto market have virtually rebounded back to their pre-pandemic levels throughout 2021, the auto industry still remains plagued by other consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the current most serious problems in the auto industry is the ongoing worldwide shortage of semiconductor chips that are required for the production of virtually all new vehicle models. This worldwide microchip shortage is a result of many factors, most of which are related to the COVID-19 pandemic. is this for everyone? Is there a Mitsubishi chip shortage, too?

If you are in the market for a Mitsubishi vehicle model, keep reading to learn more about the worldwide microchip shortage, how it is currently affecting the auto industry, and what it means for the Mitsubishi auto brand.

The Worldwide Microchip Shortage

Semiconductor chips are microchips that are made from silicone material and are used in home appliances, electronics such as computers and smartphones, and more. They are also used in the production of new vehicles and allow the technological components of new vehicles to function properly.

The worldwide shortage of these silicon semiconductor chips began as early as the first half of 2020, but fewer vehicles were being purchased at that time so demand for new vehicles was lower and the semiconductor chip shortage was not as prominent of an issue in the auto industry as it is now.

As vehicle sales rebounded throughout the latter half of 2020 and 2021 and the demand for new vehicles skyrocketed, however, the worldwide microchip shortage quickly became a major problem in the auto industry because it has made it impossible for the production of new vehicles to keep up with the current demand for them on the mainstream auto market.

So what caused the worldwide microchip shortage? There are many factors that led to the worldwide semiconductor chip shortage, and most of them are directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many manufacturing facilities that are responsible for producing semiconductor chips have been forced to temporarily shut down as a result of mandatory lockdowns and coronavirus outbreaks. These shutdowns have substantially slowed down the production process of semiconductor chips, which has in turn led to a shortage of these microchips in many industries—including, of course, the auto industry.

Furthermore, the demand for home electronics such as laptop computers and smartphones skyrocketed during the first few months of the pandemic as millions of people transitioned to at-home working and schooling and also searched for more virtual entertainment opportunities to make it through stay-at-home orders and lockdowns. Because home electronics also require semiconductor chips, the steep increase in demand for these electronics also significantly contributed to the worldwide semiconductor chip shortage that is currently affecting the auto industry.

What Does the Chip Shortage Mean for Mitsubishi?

Because there is currently a major shortage of the semiconductor chips that are required for the production of new vehicles, tens of thousands of new vehicles that are in the final stages of their production are unable to be finalized and sold because their manufacturers are unable to get access to enough semiconductor chips.

Many of these vehicles are Mitsubishi models. While some automakers are experimenting with producing their own semiconductor chips, this process is still in its early stages for most automakers and no major automaker has been spared completely from the consequences of the worldwide semiconductor chip shortage.

Only time will tell when the worldwide chip shortage will come to an end. Until then, new vehicle models from most major automakers—including Mitsubishi—will be in limited supply. If you want to get behind the wheel of an all-new Mitsubishi model, you should be prepared to wait a while as Mitsubishi tries their best to keep up with the demand for new vehicle models in the midst of the worldwide semiconductor chip shortage.

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