Martin Daum, CEO of Daimler Trucks, said Friday that he was more concerned about the shortage in global semiconductors than the economic consequences of the coronavirus epidemic.

Daum stated that “I am more concerned about semiconductors then Covid right now,” CNBC’s Street Signs Europe host said. “Trucks will be necessary to save our system, even when it is in crisis.”

Daum indicated that Covid is not a risk to Daimler Truck currently. He stated that the main risks were the supply situation and especially the semiconductor side.

According to the executive, truck makers “estimate” the market and set market share targets. Daum explained, “Then it is possible to determine your production capacity.”

“Now, call your semiconductor suppliers and ask for how many. That’s your production program, because you are certain that every truck you build will sell.”

Automobile chipmaker Infineon is strugglingReinhard Ploß, CEO of Ploss said that the company was ready to fulfill its customers’ demand for semiconductors. Ploss said that the supply of semiconductors for automotive as well as other verticals is extremely limited at present on CNBC’s Wednesday show “SquawkBox Europa”.

He said that “We are not far from meeting the demand”, adding that there is a growing backlog. “The problem is growing, and it’s getting worse over time.”

Infineon’s September effort to satisfy customer demand, it opened a new semiconductor plant in Villach, Austria worth 1.6 billion euros ($1.8 billion). The plant’s chips will be used in the main to satisfy the demand of the automobile industry, data centers, and the renewable energy generation of sun and wind power.

Analysts believe that electric cars aren’t solving the shortage of semiconductors, as these vehicles can use up to 10x as many chips than traditional ones.

Daum stated that electric vehicles manufactured by Daimler Truck don’t require significantly more semiconductors than internal combustion engines.

He said, “I’d say it’s lower than 10% so that is not the decisive factor.”