BERLIN -- Volkswagen Group is pausing production for some of its key full-electric cars because of the global semiconductor shortage.
The automaker will not build any EVs at its plants Zwickau and Dresden, Germany, this week, a VW spokesperson told Automotive News Europe sister publication Automobilwoche.
The VW ID3 hatchback and VW ID4 crossover, Audi Q4 e-tron and Cupra Born are built in Zwickau. The ID3 is also produced at the Dresden plant. VW's new ID5 coupe-styled crossover is scheduled to go into series production in Zwickau at the end of December.
VW will lose output of just under 5,000 vehicles as a result of the production pause.
Production at the two plants will be ramped up again next week, VW said.
The reason for the production stop is a lack of chipsets for important control units.
VW has prioritized production of its new battery-powered cars during the chips crisis and its EV factories have not had to reduce output until now.
Production of the Golf and Tiguan combustion-engine cars in Wolfsburg has been stopped a number of times this year because of a dearth of chips.
VW said only four production days will be canceled in Zwickau and Dresden because Wednesday is a public holiday in Saxony where they are located.
