Corvette Z06 Coupe

Make
Chevrolet
Segment
Coupe

GM recently released its second-quarter earnings reports. Normally, these things aren't super interesting. Occasionally, they do have interesting nuggets in them. Unfortunately for GM, this is one of those times. The supply chain still has GM firmly by the throat, and it couldn't be happening at a worse time.

The Silverado EV is on the horizon (testing has already begun) and the Corvette Z06 is set to become the most popular sports car GM has made since it introduced the C8 platform. Neither of those is going to be easy to make when you have nearly 100,000 partially-built cars laying around waiting for parts.

"GM's second quarter vehicle wholesale volumes were impacted by the ongoing semiconductor supply shortage and other supply chain disruptions mostly in June. As a result, GM will hold about 95,000 vehicles manufactured without certain components in company inventory until they are completed and will recognize revenue when they are sold to dealers, which is expected to happen throughout the second half of 2022," read the automaker's statement.

For now, it's unclear to what extent these vehicles are "unfinished." Given the majority of these vehicles are likely shelved because of the semiconductor shortage, we're betting many of the parts in question are electronic ones. That could be anything, from window regulators so whole ECUs and infotainment systems.

GM has said there is "significant pent-up demand for GM vehicles amid low inventories." That's true, as we've seen. The Hummer EV has such a long waiting list it'll take GM 17 years to fill the orders at its current production rate.

In addition to the missing and unmade electronics components, GM says that it and other automakers are experiencing shortages of additional materials as well. That includes (and likely isn't limited to) plastics and foam made from petroleum-based materials. Frankly, GM needs to be making those items more sustainably as it is.

Regardless, GM did not provide a timeline for the end of this. Some industry experts point to the end of 2024 as a potential end to chip shortage strife. However, that is largely based on loose economic estimates from a number of sources. For now, it's just a waiting game.