Just a quick search on LiIon’s site found me 5 or 6 options of 21700 cells. From low drain, high cap all the way to high drain low cap cells. Other sites still have 21700’s in stock as well. Plenty of 18650’s to go around as well.
Think of how many cells dewalt and makita buy. Also how many cells the scooter companies by. Each scooter may take 100 batteries. The demand is probably through the roof. Now all the outdoor power equipment is going electric.
I think many handheld cordless power tools would have been sold during the China virus pandemic which may contribute to supply issues. I got all I need about 6 weeks ago.
I see this in many markets. The pandemic shutdowns used up reserves. Now we have bare shelves and slow start up filling the voids. We are paying more for food, lumber and electronics. A five years ago fearful of new gun laws under possible Hillary presidency gun manufactures cranked up to 2-3 shifts and 6 day weeks to fill the demand. Prices plummeted under the glut that followed. We will recover as over production to fill voids helps lower prices again.
Of coarse this could change with Covid 20 through 25, the Meteor of 2022, and Reptilian invasion of 2023.
This is the reason why that all major brands are selling out. If you noticed liiowholesale, 18650 battery, IMR Batteries and others are low on batteries. Many of them out of stock.
On March 30th 2021 the owner of Liiowholesale, Jon, told me this. Succinct version.
Here is the short of it. Electrical motor vehicles are buying the majority of stock. They have priority over the industry.
Whatever he gets large companies are buying ALL his stock for battery packs. They literally came to him and said they will buy all of his stock!Not long ago he had over 70K of P42A.Samsung,Murata where he had even more stock than Molicel P42A.They are All gone except VTC6.
He also said prices are skyrocketing for Samsung,Panasonic/Sanyo, LG, Murata and they may not come down for a few years.30Q BT was $5.09 for for a few years…now $7.99.
He was the first official Molicel dealer before anyone else. Those prices will remain basically the same. Those are the batteries that I’ll continue to get.
There were a few other reasons. The is the primary reason. His original email to me was about 10 paragraphs.
P42A should be in stock soon.
Oh yes……Today I am 61 and still LOVE Flashlights!!! 
I think among major battery manufacturers only MoliCel has authorized dealer. I recently bought P42a from both Liion Wholesale and 18650 battery and cells from 18650 battery are about 1 year newer although both are Molicel’s ADs. Liion Wholesale’s shipping cost is ridiculous unless you buy >$100 but recently 18650 battery also increased their shipping cost several times. I think the price increased since May - multiple purchases I made in March and April were all with very reasonable price and promotions, including $5 30T and $4.5 50E2 in late April.
Also I noticed that Liion Wholesale likely increased their price on their old stocks as I barely saw their cells were sold out with old price and then restocked with 50-75% higher price tag. But it happened to 18650 battery many times recently at least for several cells I was watching.
ouch this sucks… corona not making things easy for anything 
Techdirectclub.com has 14 packs of 21700 tesla 5000mah bats for 45.99. That’s only 3.29 apiece. My first order all tested out above 4800 with several about 5100. They handle high drains in my vape mods just fine.
Batteryhookup has individuals for 3.25 but their shipping is kinda high. Tech direct had free 1st class shipping and my 14 were packed in a cardboard box with dividers to hold 25. I was happy with the packing.
I’m looking for minumum 20A discharge so the Lishen LA, 40T, P42A, and 30T are on my hot list. I’ll wait for p42A to come back in stock.
[quote=Sirstinky] I'm looking for minimum 20A discharge so the Lishen LA, 40T, P42A, and 30T are on my hot list. I'll wait for p42A to come back in stock. [/quote]
I just ordered a couple of p42A from this place, only online store found that didn't want $10 a piece ($8.49) and shipping was only $3.76 for four -
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There are Vapcell T50 in AE available again....
Yours for only $22 each before shipping… ridiculous. Vapcell is officially overpriced.
I may wait for lithium ion wholesale to get p42a, but i may get 30t’sfrom there. Shipping is cheap enough.
Aren’t you curious how the have it when they are sold out everywhere?
Yes, I am curious. But I threw caution to the wind and invested a few bucks to find out. The batteries will be examined and tested when they come in. Shouldn’t be too long before they arrive - they shipped within 24 hours of order placement.
Oh yea, I’ve found them elsewhere but not below $10 each, so I would not say they are sold out everywhere.
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Where’s all the 21700?
I might be off base here, but is the Sparks Nevada mega factory retooling to produce 4680 for Tesla? And Texas? And Some Asian factories? Many say the lithium ion battery world is driven by EV demand and the requirement for 18650 and 21700 might be reduced as the 4680 takes off. What do you think?
There are some that have them, but authorized dealers stre sold out. Let us know what tour test results show of the ones you got.
Be careful, I remembered that 1-2 years ago many P26A cells sold by IMRbatteries had issues and IMR is not a Molicel authorized dealer