Chip supply bottlenecks at Nexperia are currently raising eyebrows - with serious consequences for German car manufacturers and suppliers in particular.
At the end of September 2025, the District Court in The Hague withdrew control of the chip manufacturer Nexperia from its Chinese parent company Wingtech at the request of the Dutch government. The reason for this is the suspicion that technology could be passed on to the Chinese military. The USA had previously put pressure on the Netherlands and its neighbors because Wingtech is on the US sanctions list. A few days later, China responded with export restrictions on Nexperia products, which are installed as discrete semiconductors in numerous electronic control units in cars. These components are used to regulate voltage, amplify signals and read sensors, making them indispensable in safety systems and control units. Although the Group produces in Hamburg, Manchester and Nijmegen, the majority of semiconductors are tested and packaged in China. Due to the export ban, these components can no longer be sent back to Europe. According to the industry association ACEA and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), stocks are only sufficient for a few weeks. Replacement suppliers require long qualification processes, as the components are certified according to automotive standards and must harmonize with safety-relevant systems.
The unexpected intervention of the Dutch government was based on the historic 'Goods Availability Act' - an emergency law that allows the government to block management decisions. At the same time, Wingtech CEO Zhang Xuezheng was replaced by a court-appointed administrator. The Chinese trade authority interpreted the move as a geopolitical provocation and responded with an export ban on Nexperia semiconductors abroad. This has increased tensions in the US-Chinese trade conflict: Washington had previously tightened export regulations, which now also affect subsidiaries such as Nexperia.
The export ban affects German car manufacturers and suppliers in particular. According to the VDA, several hundred million discrete semiconductors are affected. As electric vehicles contain around 1,300 chips - around twice as many as combustion engines - e-car manufacturers are particularly vulnerable. The VDA warned of production interruptions and called on politicians to take action. The German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (ZVEI) also emphasized that the qualification of alternative suppliers can take months and that goods will remain in short supply for many weeks. The German government has already invited industry representatives and associations to a crisis meeting with the Chinese trade minister at short notice in order to find solutions. The EU Commission is also pushing for negotiations, as the chips in control units are relevant for numerous industries.
In the short term, it remains unclear whether China will relax the export ban. Industry associations are hoping for diplomatic solutions, but the necessary qualification of new chips will take several months. For German car manufacturers, there is a risk that production lines will come to a standstill once stocks are exhausted.
