New research suggests that the impact of the semiconductor shortage on British fleets has been relatively limited…
1 in 4 Fleets Affected By Semiconductor Woes
Arval Mobility Observatory’s 2022 Barometer has attempted to examine the impact of the ongoing semiconductor shortage on British fleets.
Perhaps surprisingly, it’s discovered that only one in four of them (26%) believe that they’ve been impacted in some way. More specifically, 16% said they’d noticed an impact when sourcing petrol, diesel and EV models. Furthermore, 5% noticed an impact only when sourcing EVs and another 5% when sourcing only diesel and petrol. Crucially, some 74% of the fleets involved in the research said they hadn’t experienced any kind of impact.
The research has also shed light on how the affected fleets are responding. Not surprisingly, 83% of them are extending the life cycles of their current vehicles. In addition, 35% are speeding up their plans to secure EVs and 11% are weighing up whether to add new manufacturers to their policies.
Planning Ahead?
Shaun Sadlier, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, has speculated on why so many fleets aren’t feeling the impact of the automotive industry’s supply-chain issues.
He said, “it is perhaps surprising that as many as three out of four fleets report that there has been no impact on their operations. This is, in our view, quite a high figure. The most likely explanation is that it is largely accounted for by either fleets planning further ahead in their vehicle replacement process. Or by the contract extensions that were widely undertaken by many businesses during the pandemic when mileage fell dramatically”.
He continued, “these particular fleets have been unaffected by delayed orders. Either because they have not been trying to replace vehicles; or have not yet really felt the full impact of the extended lead times. That line of thinking is backed by the research; which shows that among roughly one in four fleets (26%) who say that they have encountered problems, by far the most common response has been to extend vehicle life cycles. This is a finding consistent with the experience of Arval in the UK”.
EV ‘Out Of Charge’ Breakdowns Have Halved In Two Years – https://autoservefleet.co.uk/latest-news/ev-out-of-charge-breakdowns-have-halved-in-two-years/
A Consultation On Expanding London’s ULEZ Has Opened – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/a-consultation-on-expanding-londons-ulez-has-opened/