European carmakers halt production as electric-vehicle demand outpaces supply
Factories across Europe, including Stellantis sites in France, are shutting down because they lack enough batteries to meet soaring EV orders.
A wave of production stoppages is hitting European automakers as demand for electric vehicles exceeds available battery capacity. Stellantis halted lines at multiple French factories, citing insufficient batteries for pending EV orders. Volkswagen, after struggling to scale EV output, is cutting extra shifts for gasoline models in Wolfsburg and shifting resources to electric production elsewhere.
EU data show the proportion of cars with large batteries or plug-in hybrids climbed to almost 32% between January and August, up from about 20% a year earlier. The European Commission’s 2025 relaxation of internal-combustion phase-out rules has slowed electrification plans for many makers. In Hungary, despite growing battery demand, local factories have yet to feel a boost, though SK On’s Komárom plant reached 80% capacity thanks to Volkswagen orders and Samsung SDI’s Gödöllő site may exceed 70% use later this year.
Why it matters
Supply constraints threaten the auto industry's shift to electric vehicles and could delay climate goals.
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