Not only has the global semiconductor chip shortage forced General Motors to pause production of the Camaro, but the automaker has now revealed it is building certain 2021 pickup trucks without cylinder deactivation because of the chip shortage.
General Motors spokeswoman Michelle Malcho revealed that certain 2021 trucks with the company’s 3.5-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine will be built without the company’s Active Fuel Management system, better known as cylinder deactivation.
Reuters notes that the lack of cylinder deactivation will lower fuel economy of impacted models by one mile per gallon. GM has been prioritizing the production of pickups during the shortage as they are its most profitable models.
Read More: Chip Shortage Forces GM To Suspend Chevrolet Camaro Production
“By taking this measure, we are better able to meet the strong customer and dealer demand for our full-size trucks as the industry continues to rebound and strengthen,” Malcho said in a statement, adding that the move will not have a major impact on the company’s U.S. corporate average fuel economy numbers.
“We routinely monitor our fleet for compliance in the U.S. and Canada, and we balance our portfolio in a way that enables us to manage unforeseeable circumstances like this without compromising our overall (greenhouse gas) and fuel economy compliance,” she said.
The automaker’s fleetwide fuel economy for the 2018 model year was 22.5 miles per gallon and was projected to rise to 22.8 mpg for 2019.
GM has previously said that the chip shortage could shave up to $2 billion from this year’s earnings and doesn’t expect global supplies to return to normal rates until the second half of the year.
