Daimler has revealed that some Mercedes-Benz customers will have to wait more than a year for their orders because of issues related to the global semiconductor shortage.
Daimler chief executive Ola Kallenius recently spoke with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and reiterated previous comments about just how great the impact from the shortage is on the German car manufacturer.
Read More: Daimler CEO Believes Chip Shortage Could Extend Into 2023
“Demand is huge at Mercedes-Benz and at the same time there are unfortunately severe limitations,” Kallenius said, as reported by Reuters. “For some models the waiting times are longer than we would like, in some cases over a year.”
Earlier in September, Kallenius spoke with members of the media at the Munich Motor Show and suggested that the effects of the shortage may continue to be felt into 2023.
“Several chip suppliers have been referring to structural problems with demand,” he said. “This could influence 2022 and [the situation] may be more relaxed in 2023.”
Daimler has previously said that it expects to see significantly lower third-quarter sales across the Mercedes-Benz brand due to the chip shortage but is hopeful that its supply of chips will somewhat improve in the fourth quarter.
These statements from Kallenius come on the back of Tesla chief executive Elon Musk suggesting that new semiconductor plants that are planned or under construction should mean the shortage is only a “short-term issue,” he told Reuters. In fact, he suggested that the shortage could be resolved in 2022. If that turns out to be accurate, it will be a welcome relief for Mercedes.
