The Chinese express delivery industry is witnessing a surge in the procurement of unmanned vehicles. Recent data indicates that major express companies have significantly invested in unmanned delivery vehicles, with the total number exceeding 7,000, marking an acceleration in the industry’s transformation toward intelligence.
According to official disclosures, the scale of unmanned vehicle procurement continues to expand. J&T Express reported in its H1 2025 financial statement that it has deployed 600 unmanned vehicles by the end of June. SF Express’s same-period report shows that it has put 1,800 unmanned vehicles into operation in the field of unmanned transportation. Yunda’s financial report for the first half of 2025 also states that the company invested in over 500 unmanned vehicles, expanding their application to high-value areas such as medical supplies and fresh cold chain logistics.
According to the “Express Observer,” “YTO Express has over 170 franchisees using more than 500 unmanned vehicles, widely distributed in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shandong.” ZTO Express revealed at the 2025 New Quality Productive Forces Development Forum that its fleet of unmanned vehicles also exceeds 1,800. STO announced in July this year that it plans to deploy 2,000 unmanned vehicles by the end of the year.
The latest to join the procurement wave is China Post. According to a tender announcement released on its official website in early September, China Post has launched a procurement project for unmanned vehicle rentals for 2025, planning to acquire a total of 7,000 vehicles, including 718 small vehicles, 4,524 medium vehicles, and 1,758 large vehicles, setting a new record for single procurement scale in the industry.
Procurement of Large Unmanned Logistics Vehicles by Express Companies
Industry insiders confirm that among the more than 2,000 unmanned vehicles currently operated by ZTO Express, about 1,300 are from Zelos, while over 900 are from Neolix and other companies. SF Express currently operates around 700 unmanned vehicles from Zelos, over 100 from Cainiao, and around 100 from Neolix. YTO and J&T have similar supplier proportions, with 67% from Zelos and 33% from Neolix. Yunda’s unmanned vehicles consist of 83% from Zelos and 17% from Neolix.
The total number of unmanned vehicles for China Post has not been publicly disclosed, but industry sources reveal that its procurement focuses on medium and large unmanned logistics vehicles with a capacity of no less than 5m³, mostly sourced from Zelos.
Procurement of Small Unmanned Logistics Vehicles by Express Companies
Currently, SF Express primarily uses small vehicles with a cargo box volume of no more than 3m³, mainly on a rental basis, sourced from two unmanned vehicle companies it has invested in—Neolix and Rino.ai, with Neolix accounting for about 63% and Rino.ai for about 34%, while Zelos has a smaller share. SF Express has also initiated a bidding plan to gradually increase the proportion of medium and large vehicles.
Summary
In summary, medium and large vehicles (5m³ and above) procured by express companies mainly come from Zelos. Small vehicles (3m³ and below) are primarily sourced from Neolix and Rino.ai. Notably, Rino.ai is capturing a market share of small vehicles from SF Express, likely related to its status as an invested company.
The Chinese express delivery industry is embracing cutting-edge technology with extraordinary resolve, leading a profound transformation toward intelligent logistics. Companies are demonstrating exceptional foresight and execution in this process.
Industry giants such as J&T Express, SF Express, ZTO Express, China Post, YTO, Yunda, and STO are all increasing their investments in unmanned delivery vehicles, pushing the total number of unmanned vehicles in the industry beyond 7,000, with plans for further expansion. The “down-to-earth” express delivery industry is innovating in collaboration with tech companies like Zelos, Neolix, Rino.ai, and Cainiao, accelerating the shift toward intelligent logistics.
Without a doubt, 2025 is set to be a pivotal year for the development of smart logistics. Thanks to the strategic foresight and ongoing investments of these companies, the Chinese express delivery industry is boldly stepping into a new blue ocean of unmanned technology, collectively crafting a grand chapter of breakthroughs in smart logistics innovation.