Zelos
Zelos (九识智能) is a Suzhou-headquartered autonomous driving company that builds and deploys L4 RoboVans for express delivery, postal services, e-commerce, and retail logistics, operating the world's largest commercial L4 fleet of 20,000+ vehicles across 300+ cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Zelos does
Zelos (九识智能), headquartered in Suzhou, China with a regional base in Singapore, is a full-stack L4 autonomous driving technology company that designs, manufactures, and operates RoboVans for urban logistics. Founded in 2021 by former Baidu Apollo engineers, the company has built a proprietary technology stack comprising an HD-map-free navigation system, end-to-end AI planning and control models, temporal occupancy networks for 3D perception, and a self-developed automotive-grade computing unit. Its product portfolio includes the Z5 series (500–1,800 kg payload urban logistics), the L-series heavy-load platform, the Z8 series, specialized Ecosystem vehicles, and the Zelos Inside OEM licensing platform — the latter extended through a strategic partnership with Dongfeng covering four L4 commercial models.
The company operates the world's largest commercial L4 autonomous logistics fleet, with 20,000+ vehicles deployed across 300+ cities in 10+ countries following its January 2026 strategic integration with Cainiao's unmanned vehicle business. Zelos generates revenue through three primary streams: direct vehicle sales (Z5, Z5Pro, Z5Lite, Z5Pro Cold Chain, Z8, L-series), leasing/rental options for asset-light operators, and technology licensing through the Zelos Inside platform. The company has secured flagship enterprise customers including China Post, ZTO Express, SF Express, YTO, STO, J&T, DHL, Cainiao, Meituan, Pinduoduo, Sinopharm, and Singapore Post, with claimed market shares of 53.2% in China's unmanned delivery vehicles and 76% in express delivery KA accounts.
Zelos has positioned itself as a globally deployed autonomous logistics platform, with active regulatory permits in China, Singapore, Malaysia, and the UAE, and award validation including the DHL Fast Forward Challenge global championship and Dubai World Autonomous Challenge win. The company is planning a Hong Kong IPO and has raised over USD 700 million cumulatively from investors including Ant Group, Meituan, Baidu Venture, Blue Lake Capital, CDH Investments, and (via merger) Alibaba's Cainiao. Its GTM combines direct enterprise sales, regional logistics partnerships, OEM technology licensing, and a dual-brand strategy (Zelos + Cainiao Robovan) following the Cainiao merger.
Zelos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zelos
- Legal name
- 九识（苏州）智能科技有限公司
- Website
- https://zelostech.com.cn
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Zelos (九识智能) is a Suzhou-headquartered autonomous driving company that builds and deploys L4 RoboVans for express delivery, postal services, e-commerce, and retail logistics, operating the world's largest commercial L4 fleet of 20,000+ vehicles across 300+ cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zelos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Autonomous Logistics Vehicles
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (3361)
- SIC
- Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)
- akta.pro primary industry
- V2X On-Board Units (OBUs) & Vehicle Connectivity Modules (TLAJAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Light Electric Vehicles (NEVs/LSEVs/Quadricycles) Manufacturing (IMACAOAC), Cellular V2X (C-V2X) / 5G-V2X Network Enablement (TLAJAHAC)
Keywords
Where Zelos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Zelos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Vehicle Sales (RoboVan Sales): Direct sales of L4 autonomous delivery vehicles (Z5, Z5Pro, Z5Lite, Z5Pro Cold Chain, Z8 series) to enterprise customers including logistics companies, e-commerce platforms, and postal services. Vehicles range from 500kg to 1800kg+ payload capacity.
- Vehicle Leasing/Rental: Flexible leasing model for small and medium logistics operators who prefer asset-light operations. Combined with sales model as dual commercial落地模式.
- Zelos Inside Technology Licensing: Licensing of L4 autonomous driving technology platform to automotive OEMs (e.g., Dongfeng) for co-development of autonomous vehicle products. Strategic partnership model where Zelos provides full-stack autonomous driving system.
- Lidar Supply Agreement: Exclusive contract for 200,000 Hesai lidar units integrated across RoboVan fleet.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Z5 Series - Standard urban logistics with 1000kg payload |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Z5Pro - High-load efficient expert with 1800kg payload |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Z5Lite - Light cargo pioneer with 500kg payload |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Z5Pro Cold Chain - Temperature-controlled transport |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Zelos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zelos designs, manufactures, and operates L4 autonomous driving RoboVan vehicles for urban logistics, last-mile delivery, and cold-chain transport. Its portfolio includes the Z5 Series, Z5 Pro Refrigerated, Z8 Series, L-Series heavy-load platform, and Ecosystem Series specialty vehicles, complemented by the Zelos Inside OEM technology licensing platform. The full-stack HD-map-free autonomous driving system enables deployment without pre-collected high-precision maps, supported by Zelos Driver AI that aggregates 140 million km of annual operational data across a 20,000+ vehicle fleet.
Product overview
Zelos operates as a unified platform-plus-products architecture centered on RoboVan autonomous delivery vehicles. The core offering consists of the Z Series (Z5, Z5 Pro, Z5 Lite, Z5 Pro Refrigerated) for standard urban logistics and the L Series for heavy-load applications, complemented by specialized Ecosystem Series vehicles for patrol and inspection. The Zelos Inside platform extends the company's L4 autonomous driving technology to OEM partners like Dongfeng, while the proprietary HD-Map-Free autonomous driving system serves as the underlying technology foundation enabling all vehicle products. The company also offers the 九识城配 (Zelos City Distribution) mobile app for fleet operations management. Following the merger with Cainiao's unmanned vehicle business, the portfolio now includes Cainiao-branded vehicles operating under dual-brand strategy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Zelos Inside: Full-stack L4 autonomous driving technology solution platform for automotive OEMs, enabling traditional automakers to rapidly deploy L4 autonomous driving mass-produced vehicle models
- Cainiao Robovan
Products and services
- Z5 Series (Z5 / Z5 Pro / Z5 Lite) Autonomous Delivery Vehicles L4 autonomous driving urban logistics vehicle series with 200-280km range, 500-1,800kg payload, and 6.5m³ cargo volume. Z5 targets standard urban logistics, Z5 Pro offers 1,800kg payload with enhanced efficiency, and Z5 Lite delivers lightweight 500kg cargo capability. Customers include express delivery companies, postal services, and retail distributors.
- Z5 Pro Refrigerated (Z5Pro Cold Chain) Cold chain autonomous delivery vehicle with refrigerated cargo compartment maintaining -20°C to -12°C, 190km maximum range, 1,550kg payload, and 460.8kWh battery. Designed for fresh produce, dairy, and pharmaceutical distribution customers such as Mengniu and Sinopharm.
- Z8 Series Autonomous Logistics Vehicles Medium-duty autonomous logistics vehicle series designed for urban and campus logistics operations with enhanced cargo capacity compared to Z5 series. Targeted at customers needing higher-volume urban distribution.
- L-Series Heavy-Load Platform Heavy-load autonomous logistics platform with 1,800kg+ payload capacity designed for bulk cargo, grain, tires, and automotive parts transportation. Targeted at customers requiring large-format (≥5m³) autonomous logistics vehicles.
- Ecosystem Series Autonomous Vehicles Specialized autonomous vehicles for ecosystem applications including scenic area transport, security patrol, and road inspection, leveraging Zelos's 'hardware platform, scenario modularization' technology extension capabilities.
- Dongfeng DF Series (DF-2 / DF-8 / DF-25 / DF-60) Autonomous Logistics Vehicles L4 autonomous logistics vehicle series developed in partnership with Dongfeng Automobile under the Zelos Inside licensing platform, ranging from last-mile delivery to trunk transportation. Targets automotive OEM customers and large logistics buyers requiring Dongfeng-branded autonomous vehicles.
- Zelos Inside OEM L4 Autonomous Driving Solution Platform Licensed L4 autonomous driving full-stack technology platform for automotive OEMs, providing standardized, modular, reusable L4 mass production delivery and industry empowerment systems. Anchor customer is Dongfeng Automobile with co-developed DF Series models.
- Cainiao Unmanned Vehicle GT 2026 Long-range heavy-load autonomous logistics vehicle launched under the Cainiao Robovan brand post-merger, showcased at the Asia Logistics Expo with strategic signings across Cainiao's logistics ecosystem.
Quantifiable outcome
- 66% reduction in customer operating costs with autonomous vehicles
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Zelos
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Zelos technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature6 records
Zelos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Xinjiang Airport GroupcorePartnership with Xinjiang Airport Group for autonomous vehicle deployment in civil aviation industry. Global benchmark for airport autonomous driving, supporting full-scenario intelligent transformation of civil aviation.
- HesaicoreExclusive contract for 200,000 Hesai lidar units to be integrated across Zelos RoboVan fleet. Hesai is a leading lidar manufacturer providing sensors for autonomous vehicles.
- Alibaba/CainiaocoreMerger between Zelos and Cainiao's autonomous driving unit, creating a $2 billion valued entity. Combined fleet exceeds 20,000 vehicles. Dual-brand operation: Zelos brand and Cainiao Robovan brand. Cainiao executive joining Zelos board. Asset injection and cash investment from Cainiao into Zelos.
- Singapore Post (SingPost)coreExclusive strategic cooperation for autonomous logistics system deployment in Singapore. Planned multi-scenario autonomous logistics pilot projects on public roads and enclosed logistics parks by end of 2025.
- DHLcoreDHL partnered with Zelos for autonomous vehicle deployment at Asia Pacific Advanced Regional Center in Singapore. First DHL location globally to deploy Zelostech vehicle from innovation challenge to live operational use. DHL常州服务中心 also deployed vehicles on public roads with operating permits.
- Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)coreMilestone agreement signed with Dubai RTA for autonomous transport deployment. Part of Dubai 2030 Vision targeting 25% autonomous transport. Zelos won Dubai World Autonomous Challenge as part of this collaboration.
- Emirates Post Group (7X)coreJoint venture with Emirates Post Group 7X for autonomous logistics in UAE. Strategic expansion into Middle East market. Deepening strategic cooperation with UAE postal service.
- AlipaysupportingPartnership with Alipay and Cainiao for instant logistics cooperation. Leveraging Alipay platform traffic advantages for easier unmanned vehicle service access to various scenario terminals.
- Dongfeng AutomobilecoreStrategic partnership to co-develop autonomous vehicle products across multiple commercial segments. Zelos provides 'Zelos Inside' L4 autonomous driving technology. Four L4 models (DF-2, DF-8, DF-25, DF-60) launched in June 2026 targeting last-mile delivery to trunk transportation. End-to-end AI model exceeding 500 TOPS computing capability.
- Autonomous Logistics Solutions (ALS)corePartnership with Malaysia-based ALS for autonomous logistics vehicle deployment. Successful proof-of-concept completing over 1,000 km autonomous operations over 36 consecutive days without incidents. Secured Malaysia's first L4 public-road testing permit.
- POS MalaysiacorePartnership with Malaysian postal service POS Malaysia for first autonomous logistics vehicle pilot in Malaysia. Project part of Malaysia's autonomous vehicle regulatory sandbox.
- FairPricesupportingPartnership with Singapore FairPrice for first autonomous urban logistics transfer project in Singapore. Pilot for automated last-mile delivery.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights10 records
Zelos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Neolix: China's leading autonomous delivery vehicle competitor. Neolix produces L4 unmanned delivery vehicles for express, retail, and cold-chain logistics, competing directly with Zelos's Z5 and L-series in the Chinese market.
- Nuro: US-based autonomous last-mile delivery vehicle developer. Nuro's purpose-built L4 delivery vehicles compete with Zelos's RoboVan products, with comparable focus on unmanned goods delivery rather than passenger transport.
- Starship Technologies: Autonomous sidewalk delivery robot operator with large-scale commercial deployments. While smaller in form factor than Zelos's vans, Starship operates in similar last-mile delivery use cases for retail and food delivery.
- Gatik: Autonomous middle-mile logistics company operating box trucks for B2B short-haul deliveries. Gatik's focus on structured routes between distribution centers parallels Zelos's hub-to-hub logistics deployments.
- Kiwibot: Autonomous sidewalk delivery robot company with university and last-mile deployment focus. Operates comparable B2B model with delivery aggregators and restaurants, similar to Zelos's smaller Z5 Lite offering.
- Refraction AI: Autonomous last-mile delivery vehicle company operating REV-1 robots for restaurant and grocery delivery. Direct competitor in the L4 lightweight delivery vehicle category.
- Udelv: Autonomous delivery vehicle developer focused on last-mile and middle-mile B2B logistics. Comparable product positioning and target customer base (logistics operators, retailers) to Zelos.
Emerging players
- TuSimple: Autonomous trucking company focused on long-haul freight. While targeting a different segment (trunk transportation vs. last-mile delivery), TuSimple shares comparable L4 autonomous driving technology stack and Chinese-American operational footprint.
- WeRide: Chinese autonomous driving company primarily focused on robotaxis but expanding into autonomous logistics. Shares L4 autonomous driving technology development with Zelos and competes for similar talent and partnerships in China.
Broad incumbents
- Baidu Apollo: China's leading autonomous driving platform with broad portfolio spanning robotaxi, autonomous logistics, and intelligent transportation. While broader than Zelos, Apollo's autonomous logistics initiatives compete for similar enterprise customers and government partnerships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zelos social profiles
Digital presenceZelos compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Zelos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zelos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Zelos subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Zelos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zelos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments4 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zelos
What does Zelos do?
Zelos designs, manufactures, and operates L4 autonomous driving RoboVan vehicles for urban logistics, last-mile delivery, and cold-chain transport. Its portfolio includes the Z5 Series, Z5 Pro Refrigerated, Z8 Series, L-Series heavy-load platform, and Ecosystem Series specialty vehicles, complemented by the Zelos Inside OEM technology licensing platform. The full-stack HD-map-free autonomous driving system enables deployment without pre-collected high-precision maps, supported by Zelos Driver AI that aggregates 140 million km of annual operational data across a 20,000+ vehicle fleet.
Is Zelos a public or private company?
Zelos is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Zelos founded?
Zelos was founded in 2021. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Zelos based?
Zelos is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does Zelos make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Vehicle Sales (RoboVan Sales) is the primary driver. The others are vehicle Leasing/Rental, zelos Inside Technology Licensing and lidar Supply Agreement.
Who are Zelos's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Neolix, Nuro, Starship Technologies, Gatik, Kiwibot, Refraction AI and Udelv. Emerging players are TuSimple and WeRide. Baidu Apollo is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Zelos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zelos.
What industry is Zelos in?
Zelos's product category is Autonomous Logistics Vehicles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJAHAB, V2X On-Board Units (OBUs) & Vehicle Connectivity Modules, with a secondary code of IMACAOAC, Light Electric Vehicles (NEVs/LSEVs/Quadricycles) Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3361 and its SIC code is 3537.