Alibaba’s Strategic Push: A $2 Billion Bet on Autonomous Delivery and AI

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Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group is making a significant move to accelerate its automation ambitions. In a transaction valued at approximately $2 billion, its logistics arm, Cainiao, is merging its autonomous vehicle operations with Chinese robovan developer Zelos Technology. This deal coincides with notable advancements in Alibaba's artificial intelligence infrastructure and product roadmap.

Beyond the logistics sector, Alibaba has received conditional approval from Chinese regulators to purchase Nvidia's high-performance H200 AI chips. This authorization helps mitigate previous supply chain uncertainties linked to geopolitical tensions and bolsters the company's foundational AI capabilities.

Furthermore, according to reports from The Information, the company is preparing to launch a new flagship AI model around the Chinese New Year holiday in mid-February. The rollout is expected to be supported by a marketing campaign worth 3 billion yuan, aimed at attracting users to its proprietary AI application, Qwen.

The Robovan Joint Venture Structure

As detailed by sources including the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, Cainiao will take a stake in Zelos and integrate its own autonomous delivery vehicle division into the combined entity. The resulting platform will focus on last-mile autonomous delivery and will operate under both brand names.

While Cainiao is contributing its business assets and capital, and will place a manager on Zelos's board, control will remain with Zelos. Cainiao will not become the majority shareholder. Zelos specializes in manufacturing fully electric, driverless cargo vehicles, with its Z10 model capable of carrying around 1.5 tons. The partnership aims to establish what they term a "RoboVan Super Carrier" within the unmanned freight sector.

Financial Context and Strategic Rationale

Alibaba is scheduled to report its quarterly earnings for the third fiscal quarter of 2026 on February 19. In the previous quarter, the company surpassed analyst profit expectations. Its current market capitalization stands between $404 billion and $416 billion.

The robovan merger is a component of a broader corporate strategy. Facing moderated growth in its core domestic e-commerce business and heightened competition, Alibaba is seeking to reduce labor costs and enhance delivery speed through automation. Cainiao has previously made substantial investments in warehouse and delivery route automation.

This $2 billion deal represents a concrete step in that direction, positioning the company at the intersection of logistics and next-generation transportation technology.