(Yicai Global) June 2 -- Li Auto, Xpeng and Nio saw a jump in shipments in May as production gradually returns to normal after a resurgence of Covid-19 in the country and as the Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturers scramble to meet a backlog of orders.

Li Auto's May deliveries nearly tripled from April and surged more than two-and-a-half times from the same period last year to 11,500 vehicles, according to the latest data. In the five months ended May 31 the Beijing-based automaker shipped 47,400 units.

This is despite auto parts supply remaining tight in the Covid-hit Yangtze River Delta region which encompasses Shanghai and the surrounding areas. Li Auto’s plant in Changzhou, eastern Jiangsu province is not yet fully operating which has meant delayed delivery of the Li ONE model to some buyers. Li Auto and its suppliers are working hard to return to full capacity to speed up deliveries, The Paper reported yesterday, citing co-founder Shen Yanan.

Xpeng introduced dual-shift production in mid-May to accelerate output in order to quickly honor the orders placed in the first quarter. The Guangzhou-based company's shipments climbed 12.5 percent from April and surged 78 percent from a year earlier to 10,100 units. From January to May, sales more than doubled year on year to 53,700 vehicles.

There are plenty of orders and production should improve further this month as more firms in the supply chains get back to work, Nio said.  The Shanghai-based auto manufacturer shifted 7,024 cars in May, a jump of 38.4 percent from April and a gain of 4.7 percent year on year. Shipments in the first five months advanced 11.8 percent from a year ago to 37,900 units. Nio will expedite the delivery of ET7 and other models, it said.