The Chevrolet Camaro has been having a tough time lately. Sales continue to be down as it remains a distant third place behind the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger in the ongoing muscle car battle. More recently, it's become another victim of the semiconductor chip shortage crisis. Production was forced to stop in mid-March at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant in Michigan but got started again late last month. Unfortunately, it didn't last long.

CBS news affiliate WLNS 6 in Lansing, Michigan reports the plant has been idled again starting from May 10 through June 28. Along with being the Camaro's home, LGR also builds the Chevy Malibu, and the Cadillac CT4 and CT5.

None of these vehicles will roll off the assembly line until the end of next month unless GM suddenly receives a massive shipment of chips, which is highly doubtful. This nationwide shortage of chips has also affected the Mustang, which is built a few hours south at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant near Detroit. This factory has been idled since May 3 but is scheduled to come back online next week. Fingers crossed.

General Motors will reportedly keep the current sixth-generation Camaro in production through 2026. After that is anyone's guess, but the automaker recently teased an image of what could potentially be an all-electric Camaro riding on the flexible Ultium architecture.

It would make sense to pursue this route because Ford is highly likely to do the same with the Mustang. The Mustang Mach-E is proof. Stellantis, which now owns Dodge and all other FCA brands, is also expected to pursue electrification for future Challengers and Chargers but its two Detroit rivals are further along than them at this time.

The idling of the Camaro assembly line isn't expected to bother dealerships too much because they're more desperate for trucks like the Silverado. Automakers are being forced to conserve chip supplies for more profitable and popular models, and Chevy sells an awful lot more Silverados than Camaros.