Volkswagen Group is temporarily safe from the risk of chip shortages, according to CEO Oliver Blume. He said the company has secured sufficient short-term supply, even as semiconductor tensions in Europe flared up due to the export ban on Nexperia finished products from China. However, Blume warned that the global chip supply chain is showing a high degree of fragility and requires a swift political solution.
The real bottleneck lies in the "simple" chip.
Unlike previous semiconductor crises, Blume emphasized that this time the main problem lies in simple chips – inexpensive components found in most automotive electronics systems. A tight supply of these chips could disrupt production on a large scale, even if there is no shortage of advanced chips.
According to the head of Volkswagen, the group "will have a sufficient supply of chips in the near future." However, this is only a short-term solution. In the long term, he urged all parties to seek a political solution to stabilize the supply chain.
Nepal and the geopolitical dilemma
Tensions escalated when China banned exports of finished products from Nexperia – a chip manufacturer based in the Netherlands but owned by Wingtech (China). This move was seen as a reaction after the Dutch government stripped Wingtech of control over Nexperia, a company deemed a national security risk by the US.
The immediate consequence is that European automakers fear a repeat of the chip shortage scenario. The region's automotive industry is already facing additional pressure from US tariffs and restrictions on rare earth exports from China.
Pressure at Porsche: Big losses and a leadership change.
Alongside his role as CEO of Volkswagen until 2030, Oliver Blume also leads Porsche. The sports car brand is going through a difficult period due to declining sales in China and high import taxes in the US, recording an operating loss of nearly 1 billion euros (1.2 billion USD) in the third quarter of 2025 – the worst in the company's history.
Under pressure from investors to continue holding both positions, Porsche announced that Blume will step down as CEO in early 2026. Effective January 1, 2026, Michael Leiters – former CEO of McLaren, who previously held key positions at Ferrari and oversaw the Cayenne hybrid before leaving Porsche in 2013 – will take over the role. Blume considers Leiters a suitable successor with the experience required for sports cars.
Supply chain risks: a warning for Europe.
Observers believe the current crisis exposes the vulnerability of the global semiconductor supply chain to geopolitical conflicts. Without a stable solution, Europe could face further production disruptions – this time not from advanced chips, but from "cheap but essential" components in every car.
For Volkswagen, the "short-term safety" stance does not preclude the need to diversify supply sources, increase spare parts reserves, and work closely with regulators to mitigate risks.
Key milestones and facts
| Event | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen assures sufficient chip supply in the short term. | CEO Oliver Blume's statement | The problem lies in the simple chip. |
| China bans exports of finished products from Nexperia. | Current | Nexperia is located in the Netherlands and is part of Wingtech (China). |
| The Netherlands strips Wingtech of control over Nexperia. | Before the ban | The US views Wingtech as a national security risk. |
| Porsche reports operating losses of nearly 1 billion Euros. | Q3/2025 | Impact from the Chinese market and US tariffs. |
| Michael Leiters holds the position of CEO of Porsche. | January 1, 2026 | Blume is focused on his role as Volkswagen CEO until 2030. |
Conclude
Volkswagen has a buffer in chip supply for the foreseeable future, but geopolitical factors surrounding Nexperia indicate that systemic risks remain. Pressure on Porsche and senior personnel changes reflect the overall difficult context for the industry. A timely political solution, along with a flexible supply chain strategy, will determine the resilience of European automakers in the coming period.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/volkswagen-tam-an-toan-giua-khung-hoang-chip-nexperia-10309416.html
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