With this sentence, Uwe Hochschurtz made people sit up and take notice: "Customers who order an Opel Corsa-e or a Mokka-e in Germany will have their desired vehicle delivered within twelve weeks - despite the current global semiconductor crisis." at that time just over two months in office, in mid-November to the customers of the Rüsselsheim car manufacturer.

Even back then, it was a promise that seemed sporty in view of the ever-increasing delivery times: after all, car manufacturers around the world were complaining about the lack of semiconductor chips, which have long been installed in large numbers in cars.

But what about the deadline?

Is it completely obsolete in the face of the ongoing semiconductor crisis and the aftermath of the Ukraine war, which has led to a shortage of wiring harnesses produced in that country?

Thorsten Winter

Business editor and internet coordinator in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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"We are striving for that," said an Opel spokesman when asked about the three-month period.

The only German Stellantis subsidiary tries to keep delivery times as short as possible.

The global automotive industry is in an exceptional situation due to the ongoing pandemic situation and the global shortage of semiconductors.

“We do everything we can to supply our customers in the best possible way.

However, there may currently be longer delivery times for some models – including plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles,” he adds.

And adds: "Currently, delivery times are information that is subject to large fluctuations and are therefore only snapshots."

Chips for reversing sensors are missing

When Hochschützz made his promise, there was still no talk of the Ukraine war.

He also could not foresee the current problems in the supply chains.

Nevertheless, one or the other customer could remember his words.

And confront Opel with them.

Although the devil is sometimes in the detail: Stellantis is currently struggling with a lack of chips for reversing sensors, as can be heard.

This slows down the production of the SUV Grandland in Eisenach.

At the beginning of March, neither this factory nor the main factory in Rüsselsheim could produce because other semiconductor parts were missing.

But if you can park correctly without a reversing sensor and want to, you will get your Grandland earlier, as the spokesman says.

Despite this, the brand with the lightning bolt is still holding up quite well compared to other manufacturers, he says.

Opel continues to accept orders for electrified models – which, according to reports, not all manufacturers are currently doing.

And when in doubt, buying a Corsa-e or Mokka-e can also be done very quickly.

At least if the buyer does not necessarily insist on his dream equipment: "There are currently around 2,000 fully electric Opel vehicles commercially available for short-term customer needs," says the spokesman.

And Stellantis is preparing for another possible defect.

In the battery plant in Kaiserslautern, the group now plans to produce at least 40 GWh per year, compared to the originally planned 24 GWh, as it has just announced.