Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday that its global output dropped 39.1% in September from a year earlier to 512,765 vehicles, due to supply chain disruptions in Southeast Asia amid a coronavirus resurgence and semiconductor shortage.
Output, well below the initial plan of 900,000 vehicles, fell for the second consecutive month. But the world's top-selling automaker expects a record output of 850,000 to 900,000 units in November amid easing COVID-19 restrictions in Southeast Asia.
Reflecting the impact of the production cut, its global sales in September declined 16.4% to 700,122 vehicles, falling for the first time in 13 months, Toyota said.
The automaker has trimmed its output outlook for fiscal 2021 through next March to 9 million vehicles, down 300,000 from its initial plan. In fiscal 2020, global output was about 8.18 million units.
"Although the coronavirus infection and parts supply situations remain uncertain, we will make efforts to minimize the impact as much as possible," a Toyota official said.
Toyota has been known for its robust supply chains, but factory shutdowns in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam have caused difficulty in securing enough parts.
The global chip crunch had already hit auto manufacturers, as the pandemic boosted demand for semiconductors, key components used in everything from game consoles to cars.
In September, Toyota reported a 29.9% fall in overseas output to 376,015 vehicles, while domestic production plunged 55.3% to 136,750 units.