Supply Chain Impact on World Economy After Japan Earthquake Nissan Leaf Delays @nissanleaf, @nissan

If you are like me you are starting to feel the impact of the earthquake in Japan even though you didn’t feel the earthquake.  Japanese automakers are struggling to deliver parts and cars to consumers around the world as plants in Japan are repaired or barely operating, although reports are that many are operating, the impact to the supply chain has occurred and even if plants begin to operate at 100% capacity, there will still be many delays.

For instance we ordered the Nissan Leaf, a car that has achieved the 20,000+ orders and is final assembled in the US, orders for the Nissan Leaf are now showing status, PENDING, instead of a month or two out in some cases, we imagine based on all reports that it could be a delay of 6 months or longer.  So maybe we will see the Leaf in 2011, but most likely 2012.

We wish all those in Japan a quick recovery, but with estimated lives lost well over 20,000 and property loses into the billions of dollars, with aftershocks and a damaged nuclear plant that is still leaking radioactivity.