The Iran war is already making headlines for its geopolitical drama, but buried beneath the surface is a supply chain story that has automakers quietly sweating. The culprit? Helium. Yes, the same gas that makes birthday balloons float is also an essential ingredient in semiconductor manufacturing, and right now, its supply is in serious jeopardy.

Stephan Keese, senior partner at Roland Berger North America, raised the alarm in comments to Automotive News, explaining that the ongoing conflict could severely restrict the flow of helium used to produce the chips that modern vehicles rely on. This is not a fringe concern. The technologies that automakers have spent billions developing, including advanced driver-assistance systems and the software-heavy vehicle architectures that underpin EVs, all depend on a steady pipeline of those semiconductors.

The issue becomes even thornier when you zoom out. Car companies are not the only ones competing for chips. Smartphones, computers, and the surging demand from artificial intelligence applications are all jostling for the same supply, according to S&P Global. That is a lot of pressure on a resource that most people associate with helium balloons at a kid’s birthday party, not the global technology economy.

So what does this all mean practically? For automakers that have gone all-in on electric vehicles, it could mean some very uncomfortable conversations in the boardroom. For drivers, it could mean delays, higher prices, or a shift in what vehicles are actually available to buy in the coming months.

Helium is not just party supply store fodder. It plays a critical role in the semiconductor fabrication process, where it is used as a cooling agent and a carrier gas during chip production. Without it, manufacturers cannot keep up with demand.

According to Keese, approximately 33% of the world’s helium supply originates from the Middle East, with Qatar being a major contributor. A production facility there has reportedly sustained damage from an attack, tightening the supply chain further. North America accounts for roughly 47% of global helium production, which means regions like East and Southeast Asia could be looking at real shortages within weeks if the situation does not stabilize.

Keese’s assessment is blunt: automakers doubling down on electric vehicles face the greatest exposure here. EVs require significantly more advanced computing power than traditional cars, making them far more dependent on the very semiconductors that a helium shortage would squeeze.