by BAI Fan

China Post Express & Logistics has placed the world's largest order for autonomous delivery vehicles, awarding contracts to supply 7,000 driverless vans over four years as part of China's rapid push to automate logistics. Zelostech, based in Suzhou, emerged as the biggest winner, alongside China Post Technology, in the procurement.

The deal marks a milestone in China's shift from pilot trials to large-scale commercial deployment of unmanned delivery fleets and reflects how government-backed logistics operators are accelerating the use of homegrown AI and robotics to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Founded in 2021, Zelostech leads China's market for Level-4 autonomous logistics vehicles — fully driverless delivery vans that run on fixed routes or within logistics zones — with a share of more than 70%. The company said it will manage roughly half of China Post's new delivery capacity in the deal.

The contract win came as Zelostech raised US$100 million, bringing total Series B funding to US$400 million to expand production and overseas operations.

Zelostech operates six factories across China with annual capacity of 45,000 vehicles. Its RoboVan series, launched in 2023, has been deployed in more than 10,000 units worldwide across multiple logistics scenarios, including urban delivery, industrial transport and long-haul routes.

The China Post tender required vehicles able to operate in temperatures below minus 20 degrees Celsius, setting a high technical bar. More than 100 firms bid for the project, with only 10 shortlisted. Analysts said the order will help speed up regulatory approvals for autonomous fleets nationwide.

Competition in China's self-driving logistics sector is intensifying. Neolix, Rino.ai, backed by SF Express, and Cainiao, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, are ramping up investment and production to compete. Government-led procurement and lower hardware costs are driving the market from pilot projects to full-scale operations.

Zelostech is also expanding overseas. In May, it partnered with Emirates Post Group (7X) to form a Dubai-based joint venture. In Singapore, it helped revise the TR-68 autonomous-driving standard and became the first Chinese firm licensed to operate unmanned delivery vehicles on public roads. In Malaysia, it began road trials with ALS Group last year.