by Gabrielle DeSantis

Ford isn’t alone as it struggles with the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage. But now, the 2021 Ford F-150 is being cut. Most of Ford’s chips were going toward the most popular models like the Ford F-150, but this plan ran out of chips. 

The 2021 Ford F-150 is being cut

Ford has been fighting the global semiconductor chip shortage along with a majority of automakers. It was saving their chip supply to build the most profitable models, such as the 2021 Ford F-150. 

Then thousands of F-150 models were being built and stored until a supply of chips arrived. Once the chips arrive, they will be added to the trucks. Then the trucks will go through quality testing to ensure that they are ready to be delivered. 

These plans worked for a while, but now you can see Ford F-150 models that are stored in a parking lot from space. There are thousands of unfinished models. Plus, Ford is shutting down more plants. 

Which plants are being temporarily closed? 

The Kansas City plant that assembles the 2021 Ford F-150 has already been shut down this week. Now Ford has confirmed that the Oakville Assembly Plant in Canada and the Kansas City Plant will be closed until August 30. The Oakville Assembly Plant builds the Ford Edge and the Lincoln Nautilus.  

Ford will also cut two of the three shifts next week at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan. The Ford F-150 is produced there too. Ford shared that their teams are making the most of the available semiconductor chip allocation. They will continue finding unique solutions to provide as many high-quality vehicles as possible to dealerships and customers. 

Along with the semiconductor chip shortage, a lack of mechanical parts has also caused rolling shutdowns of vehicle assembly plants. Also, the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak led to closures. 

Is Ford in trouble? 

Ford isn’t in trouble yet, but temporarily shutting down the production of the 2021 Ford F-150 is a new obstacle to face. As assembly plants closed due to Covid-19, wafer and chip suppliers diverted parts to other sectors. 

Chips went to consumer electronics, which weren’t expected to have an increase in stay-at-home orders. As people work from home, they want the news computers and tech, including the PS5. 

Ford lost about 50 percent of its planned production in the second quarter. According to the AlixPartners Consulting Firm, the global automotive industry is expected to lose $100 billion in revenue for 2021. 

People still want their new Ford F-150 models and other vehicles. So when will the global chip shortage end? Fires in factories, droughts, and the transportation blockage in the Suez Canal have contributed to the deficit. 

People have been investing in maximizing chip production space. Also, chips will be made in America, as it’s currently only responsible for providing 10 percent of the supply Americans use. Two new factories are being built in Arizona. 

The chip shortage might rebound by the end of 2021 but could last into 2022. Also, experts fear that the semiconductor chip shortage could last until 2023. Increased demand for electronics could increase the shortage.

RELATED: The 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid Fails to Offer Good Value

The post Even the 2021 Ford F-150 Can’t Outrun the Chip Shortage appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The continuously variable transmission has grown in popularity among auto manufacturers in recent years. In fact, many modern cars have them. But are CVTs better than traditional automatic transmissions? And if so, what are their benefits?

The continuously variable transmission has been around since the late 19th century

Milton Othello Reeves, an early American automobile industry pioneer, invented the first instance of a variable-speed transmission around 1879. However, Reeves’ designed it to help sawmill workers control the speed of the large motorized circular saws.

Eventually, he followed his passion for motorcycles and automobiles, developing the “motocycle” in 1880. His motocycle also used a variable-speed transmission similar to the one he invented for the sawmill. Despite building several vehicle concepts, none of Reeves’ designs ever gained traction. Nevertheless, his innovative transmission has remained popular for over a century thanks to its versatility and multiple applications.

So, what took automakers so long to adopt the continuously variable transmission if it’s such a modern marvel? That’s a great question and one that many people ask after learning of its long history. It boils down to waiting for the mechanical technology necessary to mass-produce the CVT on such a gargantuan scale.

Johan van der Brugghen, a Dutch car designer, created the first well-known CVT design, known as the “Van Doorne” belt design, in 1928. Not until the late 1950s did the Van Doorne CVT earn its highly regarded reputation in the DAF 600 passenger car. Branded the “Variomatic,” it was the heart of all DAF vehicles, which is likely why Brugghen’s contribution tends to overshadow Reeves’.

In the 1990s, Honda innovated the CVT further with the 1996 Civic series. Nissan followed suit with its “Powertoros” from NSK-RHP installed in the Gloria, a sedan released in Japan.

CVTs vs. automatic transmissions: Pros, cons, and differences

A CVT is an automatic transmission that employs pulleys and a steel band rather than fixed gears like traditional transmissions. According to Car and Driver, a CVT provides smooth, step-less gear changes while automatically adjusting to a person’s driving style.

The best benefit is improved fuel efficiency by subduing the engine’s revolutions per minute (RPMs). With fewer moving parts than a traditional automatic transmission, CVTs have lower production costs — advantageous for vehicle manufacturers and car buyers.

Because CVTs don’t feel the same as traditional automatic transmissions, they can take getting used to. For one thing, drivers have described the engine sound as being “monotonous.”

Second, you can’t feel the gears shifting, so some drivers have expressed no connection with their car like they do with models with automatic transmissions.

Third, better fuel efficiency also means you’ll notice a diminished performance when you step on the gas. Instead of feeling an instantaneous response as with an automatic transmission, you’ll feel a small lull as the CVT band adjusts.

Last, despite the initial low cost of producing CVTs, parts are pricier, which makes repairing and replacing them more expensive. In addition, it can be difficult to find technicians who can repair CVTs because of the specialized training required. But as CVTs become more widely used, the issue has become less problematic.

Despite misconceptions, CVTs aren’t unreliable

Generally speaking, CVTs are similarly reliable as traditional automatic transmissions. Some are of the opinion that their application is better suited for smaller vehicles. Available evidence collected over the years shows that cars using CVTs don’t experience poor reliability despite the misconceptions. However, those misconceptions aren’t totally unfounded because they are a few well-known examples of reliability issues, particularly in earlier models equipped with CVTs.

RELATED: What Caused the Death of the Rotary Engine?

The post CVT vs. Automatic Transmission: Is 1 Worse Than the Other? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.