Ford Vehicle availability for 2022: Chip shortage and Factory ordering
Ford Vehicle availability for 2022: Chip shortage and Factory ordering
Posted on December 7, 2021
If you've been following the news in the auto press, you'll likely have seen that a global semiconductor shortage is hitting new vehicle production levels, and that this could lead to a car shortage in Canada. If you've been looking to buy a new Ford, does this mean you're out of luck?
Not necessarily. While the shortage does make buying a new vehicle a little more complicated, we now have a pre-order system to make reserving your next Ford an easier process. Read on to find out what's involved.
Why Does the Chip Shortage Matter?
Today's vehicles are just as much electronic as mechanical. From ignition control to infotainment, air conditioning to emergency braking, nearly all the features in a new Ford are controlled at least partly by computer, and this of course means that semiconductor chips are an essential component. Without chips to fit into new vehicles, production has been forced down, with many fewer new models arriving in dealerships worldwide.
Why Is There a Chip Shortage?
There are three main causes behind the chip shortage, two of them related to the COVID-19 pandemic. First, sales of consumer goods such as smartphones, TVs, games consoles, and so on rocketed during lockdown, vacuuming up available chip capacity. Second, most automakers cut back their chip orders as the pandemic took hold, assuming that car sales would fall. When this turned out not to be true, orders couldn't be raised again as chip production was already spoken for. And lastly, a coincidental fire put a major chip plant out of action, reducing supply even further.
What is the New 2022 Ford Availability Status?
The availability of Ford cars is affected just as much as any other brand, and this seems set to continue at least through the first half of 2022. And as with other automakers, Ford is giving preference to newer, higher-end models with larger profit margins when deciding how to distribute the chips they have available. Also, best sellers will tend to be more easily available than niche models with particular configurations that may not be in as much demand.
What to Do If You Want a New Ford in 2022
Despite the difficulties, the supply of new vehicles hasn't completely dried up - and there are certainly plenty of new Ford SUVs and trucks still available. In many cases you'll still find your first choice of model and trim level in our inventory and ready to drive away. But supply will probably struggle to keep up with demand for the next few months at least, so you can't necessarily be sure of finding your first choice immediately available.
Supplies of new Ford vehicles will be distributed among the dealerships in Canada with the most orders to fulfill, so if we don't have your preferred trim in our inventory, it's important that we stake a claim on your behalf. Completing our pre-order form will put you first in line to receive new Ford vehicles as they become available, and will also increase the chances that your preferred vehicle is given priority on the production lines.
