London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Feb 06, 2026

Elon Musk says pandemic supply-chain issues and a global microchip shortage resulted in 'insane difficulties' for Tesla

Elon Musk says pandemic supply-chain issues and a global microchip shortage resulted in 'insane difficulties' for Tesla

"We've had some of the most difficult supply chain challenges that we've ever experienced in the life of Tesla," Musk said, citing the chip shortage.

Elon Musk told investors during the Tesla's quarterly earnings call that the automaker has been forced to reckon with numerous supply chain issues in 2021.

Musk said the company has had "insane difficulties" with its supply chain over the last quarter. "We've had some of the most difficult supply-chain challenges that we've ever experienced in the life of Tesla," he said on Monday.

The CEO said the global semiconductor chip shortage, which has rocked the automotive industry, as well as port delays impacted manufacturing goals.

In February, Tesla briefly halted production on its Model 3 at its car assembly plant in California, citing supply-chain issues caused by backlogs at ports and severe snowstorms slowing down ground deliveries.

The global semiconductor shortage has wreaked havoc on tech and automotive companies. In January, Bloomberg reported the chip shortage could cost car companies to lose as much as $61 billion in revenue.

Many automakers have since been forced to shut down manufacturing plants and prioritize the most profitable car models they produce as a result of the shortage. Computer chips account for about 40% of a new car's cost, according to a report from Deloitte, and are used in navigation,bluetooth, and collision-detection systems.

Musk also said the company has had trouble scaling its production in China due to the pandemic, as 1COVID1-19 restrictions in the country have made it more difficult for Tesla to bring in engineers for its plants.

Port delays and the global container-ship shortage have also impacted Tesla's manufacturing supplies in the US.

Zach Kirkhorn, Tesla's chief financial officer, said the company is facing high expediting costs, despite "tremendous work" from the company's team and suppliers in keeping the plants running.

"We continue to work through the instability of the global supply chain, particularly around semiconductors and port capacities," Kirkhorn said.

Port delays and a global container-ship shortage have set many companies back in recent months, pushing shipping costs even higher and leading to shortages of goods. Delays at southern California ports have caused nearly 20 ships to wait weeks to dock and unload.

Earlier in the year, Nike , Costco , Toyota, Honda , and Samsung said supply-chain issues are harming business this past quarter and would likely have an impact going forward. Last week, several companies, including Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, announced they would hike prices to combat increased shipping costs.

Overall, Tesla had a profitable quarter, after announcing it had sold the most cars in its history. During the first three months of the year, the company delivered 184,877 vehicles — a number that was largely driven by strong demand for electric vehicles in China.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Belgium: Man Charged with Rape After Faking Payment to Sex Worker
KPMG Urges Auditor to Relay AI Cost Savings
US and Iran to Begin Nuclear Talks in Oman
Winklevoss-Led Gemini to Slash a Quarter of Jobs and Exit European and Australian Markets
Canada Opens First Consulate in Greenland Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions
China unveils plans for a 'Death Star' capable of launching missile strikes from space
NASA allows astronauts to take smartphones on upcoming missions to capture special moments.
Trump administration to launch TrumpRx.gov for direct drug purchases
Investigation Launched at Winter Olympics Over Ski Jumpers Injecting Hyaluronic Acid
U.S. State Department Issues Urgent Travel Warning for Citizens to Leave Iran Immediately
Wall Street Erases All Gains of 2026; Bitcoin Plummets 14% to $63,000
Epstein Case Documents Reignite Global Scrutiny of Political and Business Elites
Eighty-one-year-old man in the United States fatally shoots Uber driver after scam threat
UK Royal Family Faces Intensifying Strain as Epstein-Linked Revelations Rock the Institution
Political Censorship: French Prosecutors Raid Musk’s X Offices in Paris
AI Invented “Hot Springs” — Tourists Arrived and Were Shocked
Tech Mega-Donors Power Trump-Aligned Fundraising Surge to $429 Million Ahead of 2026 Midterms
UK Pharma Watchdog Rules Sanofi Breached Industry Code With RSV Vaccine Claims Against Pfizer
Melania Documentary Opens Modestly in UK with Mixed Global Box Office Performance
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Markets Jolt as AI Spending, US Policy Shifts, and Global Security Moves Drive New Volatility
U.S. Signals Potential Decertification of Canadian Aircraft as Bilateral Tensions Escalate
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribery
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
China Executes 11 Members of the Ming Clan in Cross-Border Scam Case Linked to Myanmar’s Lawkai
Trump Administration Officials Held Talks With Group Advocating Alberta’s Independence
Starmer Signals UK Push for a More ‘Sophisticated’ Relationship With China in Talks With Xi
Shopping Chatbots Move From Advice to Checkout as Walmart Pushes Faster Than Amazon
Starmer Seeks Economic Gains From China Visit While Navigating US Diplomatic Sensitivities
Starmer Says China Visit Will Deliver Economic Benefits as He Prepares to Meet Xi Jinping
UK Prime Minister Starmer Arrives in China to Bolster Trade and Warn Firms of Strategic Opportunities
The AI Hiring Doom Loop — Algorithmic Recruiting Filters Out Top Talent and Rewards Average or Fake Candidates
Amazon to Cut 16,000 Corporate Jobs After Earlier 14,000 Reduction, Citing Streamlining and AI Investment
Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Powell Faces DOJ Criminal Investigation During 2026 Decision
Putin’s Four-Year Ukraine Invasion Cost: Russia’s Mass Casualty Attrition and the Donbas Security-Guarantee Tradeoff
Wall Street Bets on Strong US Growth and Currency Moves as Dollar Slips After Trump Comments
UK Prime Minister Traveled to China Using Temporary Phones and Laptops to Limit Espionage Risks
Google’s $68 Million Voice Assistant Settlement Exposes Incentives That Reward Over-Collection
×