(Yicai Global) Feb. 22 -- Some customers of Xpeng Motors have cancelled their orders after waiting too long, with deliveries held up by short supply, rising power battery prices, and faster-than-expected growth in demand.

One customer told Yicai Global that he cancelled his order for an Xpeng P5 460E after waiting almost four months for it to be delivered. Fifty-five buyers whose Xpeng cars have not been handed over yet have formed an online group to safeguard their rights, including one who placed an order on Oct. 2 last year.

The Guangzhou-based automaker said it will help customers cancel or change the specifications of the models they want to buy.

This is not the first time that Xpeng has found itself struggling with late deliveries. In mid-December last year, certain P7 480 buyers told Yicai Global that their orders were not received on time. At the time, a company official told Yicai Global that the industry faces short supply of lithium iron phosphate batteries due to the impact of the pandemic, resulting in delayed deliveries.

In recent visits to 4S (sales, service, spare parts and surveys) stores in Shanghai, Yicai Global found the delivery cycle for various brands is over 10 weeks, with a waiting period of four to five months for the more popular models. According to Tesla's website, customers must wait as much as 12 to 16 weeks for a Model Y or a Model 3.

The main problem is that there is still a shortage of auto chips and batteries, sales staff told Yicai Global. The pandemic and other supply chain issues have led to a global chip shortfall since last year.

Another factor is that new energy vehicle sales in China surged 169 percent last year from 2020 to 2.9 million units.

“Everyone expected NEV sales to increase, but no-one thought the growth would be this quick,” said an executive at a Chinese carmaker.

Editors: Xu Wei, Tom Litting