It’s been a long wait for farmers wanting to purchase a new pickup truck this year. According to Farm Journal research, more than a third of farmers surveyed had planned to purchase a new pickup in 2021.
At the heart of the problem – a semiconductor chip shortage.
But that could be about to change – at least for one manufacturer.
Ford Motor Co. says it has sourced a large supply of semiconductor chips and will soon be able to finish thousands of 2021 F-Series trucks sitting idle on dealer lots across the U.S.
There is at least one catch. Ford says it may need to rely on its dealer network to install the chips.
Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker told Automative News the company is “exploring a number of different options as we get to work to get our customers and dealers their new vehicles as quickly as possible.”
GM has also struggled to complete manufacturing of thousands of Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. GM officials have not announced whether they, like Ford, have been able to source semiconductor chips.
The chip shortage first occurred a year ago with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as plants had to reduce or shut down their operations.
However, the Semiconductor Industry Association says even when manufacturing is underway full steam, the lead times for chip orders can be as long as 26 weeks, due to production complexities.
