Queues for new electric cars stretch up to 18 months

Electric car waiting times revealed

Drivers face having to wait for up to 18 months to buy a new electric car as manufacturers grapple with shortages caused by disruption to global supply chains.

Popular electric cars from Tesla, Porsche and Volkswagen have waiting times of more than a year for drivers in Britain who want to make the switch to a zero emission vehicle.

Tesla fans will have to wait until late next year for a new Model S or X, according to electrifying.com, a specialist website. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, prospective buyers of f the Porsche Taycan will have to wait between six and 18 months for a new car.

Drivers who hope to buy a Lexus UX 300e will have to wait until the second quarter of next year, the company has said. There is a delay of 12 months for certain Volkswagen models, including g the ID3 and ID4.

A spokesman for the company said the “continued shortage of semiconductors combined with the impact on the supply chain from the war in Ukraine” had led to “increased delivery times above ideal levels”. For some customers this would “indicate a 2023 delivery”.

The spokesman added: “Our retailers are ready and waiting to work with customers to manage the delivery window and have a range of tools to support customers while they await their car.”

Waiting times for a BMW i4 or iX and a Mini Electric are slightly shorter at between six and nine months. A spokesman for BMW said some models required a transit time of four to six weeks, which was included in the overall waiting time.

“Individual BMW and Mini retailers are best placed to answer customers’ questions relating to lead times,” the spokesman added.

Delays in the automotive industry, which have been caused by a global shortage of semiconductors, are hitting drivers just as the price of fuel rockets.

Petrol and diesel prices rose by 11p and 22p a litre respectively in March, the biggest monthly increase since the RAC’s records began in 2000, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove up wholesale oil prices.

Ginny Buckley, of electrifying. com, said: “Cars like the Volkswagen ID3, which were freely available 12 months ago, now have waiting times of more than a year. This is down to a perfect storm of increased demand coupled with a shortage of vital components.”

Ms Buckley said certain electric cars were available with shorter waiting times. t “If you can be flexible with your choice there are some cars available within weeks rather than months, including inclu popular models such as the Tesla Tesl Model 3.”

The Th waiting time for a Peugeot e-208 is between b three and four months, according to the company, although it said lead times were subject to change.

“It’s also worth checking at your dealership to see if there’s a brand-new car in stock, rather than a factory order,” Ms Buckley B added.

“I It may not be the exact version you’re you’ looking for, but if you’re willing to compromise on the finishing touches, touc like its colour and wheels, you might migh be able to get hold of a car in a few days rather than a few months.”

Some So electric cars are even available bl to t buyers immediately, according to electrifying.com. They include the Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Vauxhall Corsa-e and Mokka-e and the BMW i3.

While buyers looking for a Kia EV6 face a delay of up to 10 months, according to the website, the Kia e-Niro and Kia Soul are both readily available.

However, drivers fed up with long waiting times are increasingly turning to the second-hand market for electric cars. The first three months of this year were the busiest on record for sales of used battery electric vehicles, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Transactions more than doubled to 14,586 from 6,625 in the same period last year.

Plug- in hybrids and hybrids also changed hands in greater numbers than the year before. Sales rose by 35pc to 14,433 and by 29pc to 35,007 respectively.

James Fairclough of AA Cars, a comparison website, said: “Soaring petrol prices have helped establish electric vehicles as buyer favourites.

“But with brand-new electric models costing significantly more than conventionally fuelled rivals, greater availability of second-hand EVs bodes well for the used market.”