Road users face having to wait for up to 18 months to buy new electric cars, as manufacturers such as: Tesla, Porsche and Volkswagen are taking more than a year to deliver new models. Manufacturers are also having to battle with shortages caused by disruption to global supply chains.
Making the switch to a zero-emission vehicle could now take over a year, as major car manufacturers have a waiting time of over a year for buyers to receive their new EV. Tesla fans will have to wait until late next year for a new Model S or X and potential buyers of the Porsche Taycan will have to wait between six and eighteen months for the new vehicles.
Furthermore, drivers who hope to buy a Lexus UX 300e will have to wait until the second quarter of next year due to the company having a delay of 12 months for certain Volkswagen models, including the ID3 and ID4 models.
Thankfully, waiting times for the BMW i4 or iX and a Mini Electric are slightly shorter, ranging between six and nine months. BMW have said that included in their waiting time is a transit time of four to six weeks, hence why it can appear longer than usual.
Global shortages of semiconductors have been a major cause of these delays in the automotive industry and are hitting drivers just as the rising fuel prices are.
Ginny Buckley, of electrifying.com, has said: “Cars like the Volkswagen ID3, which were freely available 12 months ago, now have waiting times of more than a year. This is down to a perfect storm of increased demand coupled with a shortage of vital components.”
Waiting times for a Peugeot e-208 also have a shorter wait time of between three and four months, however, it is subject to change.
Ms. Buckley has also added: “It’s also worth checking at your dealership to see if there’s a brand-new car in stock, rather than a factory order. It may not be the exact version you’re looking for, but if you’re willing to compromise on the finishing touches, like its colour and wheels, you might be able to get hold of a car in a few days rather than a few months.”
Drivers who are fed up with these wait times are now turning to the second-hand market for electric cars, as the number of sales has almost doubled in the same period last year.
The transition to electric vehicles is one that is inevitable in the coming years, however, global shortages may make this transition harder and slow it down completely.
