BEIJING — Chinese language electrical automotive start-up Nio mentioned Friday it expects a worldwide chip scarcity will drag down automobile deliveries within the second quarter.

A fire in March at a Japanese chip factory owned by Renesas has exacerbated an current shortfall in semiconductors that has compelled main automakers to chop manufacturing.

With out naming the manufacturing facility, Nio’s Chairman William Li mentioned throughout an earnings convention name he expects the destructive influence of the fireplace to hit the auto provide chain in mid-Might. The business typically expects the scarcity will attain a turning level within the third quarter, Li mentioned.

For now, Nio needed to halt production for five working days across the finish of March, which is able to have an effect on automobile deliveries for April, Li mentioned.

The beginning-up forecast second-quarter deliveries of between 21,000 and 22,000 autos, for progress of 5% to 10% from the primary three months of the yr. That is a major quarter-on-quarter slowdown from progress of 16% within the first quarter, and 42% within the fourth quarter.

Regardless of challenges from the provision chain and technological growth, Li mentioned the corporate’s first sedan, the ET7, stays on observe for its scheduled launch to clients within the first quarter of 2022.

Nio delivered 20,060 vehicles in the first quarter, probably the most amongst its U.S.-listed electrical automotive start-up friends in China. On Friday, Nio mentioned automobile gross sales for the interval have been 7.41 billion yuan ($1.13 billion).

Nonetheless, Elon Musk’s Tesla has been steadily ramping up manufacturing in China, which brought in sales of $3 billion in the first quarter for the automaker. China’s share of Tesla’s international gross sales rose to 29% within the first three months of this yr, up from 21% for all of 2020.

Tesla shares are down 4% up to now this yr. Nio’s have declined 20%.

Based in 2014, Nio reported a smaller-than-expected loss per share within the first quarter of 0.23 yuan (4 cents) versus FactSet estimates of a 0.68 yuan loss a share.

Car margin, a measure of profitability, rose to 21.2% within the first quarter, up from 17.2% the prior quarter. The rise was due principally to shoppers shopping for Nio’s driving help software program and upgrading to a costlier battery subscription plan, administration mentioned.

The 100 kilowatt-hour battery energy plan prices 1,480 yuan ($228) a month, versus 980 yuan for the 70 kilowatt-hour plan.

Almost 60% of all Nio customers have chosen the battery-as-a-service plan since its launch in August, firm president Lihong Qin instructed CNBC on the sidelines of the Shanghai auto present final week.

Nio has additionally chosen a location in Oslo, Norway, for its first venture overseas, administration mentioned Friday. The beginning-up plans to launch extra particulars on Might 6.