Cox stated that the total supply of unsold new cars in the United States reached 2.21 million, the highest level since the spring of 2021, but still a 35% decrease compared to before the 2019 pandemic.

　　According to foreign media reports, a latest analysis shows that the United Auto Workers' (UAW) strike against Detroit's three major automakers has been ongoing for three weeks, but so far, the strike has not significantly affected the inventory levels of automakers in the United States. Among the three car companies, General Motors dealers face the highest risk of inventory shortage.

　　Cox Automotive stated on October 5th that its vAuto inventory data shows that Chevrolet and Cadillac have the lowest inventory levels among American brands, with 57 days and 46 days, respectively, while supply for some of the most profitable models among these two brands is even more tight. In contrast, Stellantis has the highest inventory among the Detroit Big Three automakers, which means the company can better withstand the impact of long-term production shutdowns.

　　The UAW strike began on September 15th, with only two weeks left until the end of the third quarter. Analysts say that UAW has been targeting specific automotive segments rather than launching strikes at all assembly plants of Detroit's three major automakers, and so far, the impact of this decision has been relatively small.

　　UAW has temporarily postponed the expansion of the strike, and General Motors stated that on October 5th, the company submitted a new quotation to the union in an attempt to avoid an escalation of the strike and strive to reach a final agreement.

　　Image source: UAW

　　As of September 30th, General Motors had 442586 vehicles in warehouses or in transit, an increase of 3.4% compared to the middle of the year and a year-on-year increase of 23%. A GM spokesperson stated that the company's inventory in the United States has reached its highest level since the end of 2020. The company refused to disclose the specific number of days of supply for the model or comment on the impact of the strike on inventory in the coming weeks.

　　Ford stated this week that as of September 30th, its car inventory was 424000 units, equivalent to a 67 day supply, higher than 383000 units a month ago and 315000 units a year ago. The company spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on October 5th.

　　Stellantis did not disclose its inventory levels in its third quarter sales report, and Cox estimates that the company's inventory supply for Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler brands exceeded 100 days. Stellantis spokesperson stated in a statement that the inventory of Wrangler and Gladiator models that the company has discontinued due to the strike is "healthy", and "the impact of the strike on product supply will depend on the length of production interruption".

　　At the beginning of the UAW strike, inventory levels in the entire automotive industry were recovering, following three years of production disruptions caused by the pandemic and shortages of chips and other critical components. Cox on October 5th

　　At the beginning of the UAW strike, inventory levels in the entire automotive industry were recovering, following three years of production disruptions caused by the pandemic and shortages of chips and other critical components. On October 5th, Cox stated that the total supply of unsold new cars in the United States reached 2.21 million, the highest level since the spring of 2021, but still a 35% decrease compared to before the 2019 pandemic.

　　Cox stated that the average supply of the automotive industry in October was 60 days, which is basically the same as last month. Cox estimates the number of supply days based on the sales rate from September 1st to October 2nd.

　　The union is currently holding strikes at five assembly plants, three of which are responsible for producing medium-sized pickup trucks and SUVs, and the other two are responsible for producing large crossover vehicles. The affected models include the Ford Bronco, Chevrolet Colorado, and Jeep Wrangler.

　　In addition, due to a shortage of parts supply, General Motors has suspended the operation of an assembly plant located in Kansas, which is responsible for producing Chevrolet Malibu sedans and Cadillac XT4 crossover models.

　　Some of GM's most undersupplied models are also the company's highest profit margin models, including the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, as well as the Cadillac Escalade. Cox executive analyst Michelle Krebs stated that in terms of full size SUVs, General Motors only has a supply capacity of 20 to 30 days. UAW did not hold a strike at General Motors' most profitable full size SUV and pickup truck production factories. Krebs stated that companies can take some measures when necessary, including reducing sales to fleets, in order to free up vehicles for retailers.