According to www.dhl.com, DHL has deployed fully electric, driverless vehicles from Chinese startup Zelostech at its Advanced Regional Center (ARC) in Singapore — the first global DHL site to transition from innovation challenge to live operational use.
Strengthening the invisible middle
The ‘invisible middle’ of logistics — the repetitive, time-sensitive transfers between warehouses, sorting centers, and distribution hubs — is where autonomous vehicles deliver measurable impact. While customers rarely see these movements, delays here cascade across supply chains. In Asia, DHL is addressing this layer with autonomy designed for predictability, not spectacle: routes are fixed, traffic patterns repeat, safety rules are strict, and reliability outweighs speed — conditions ideal for responsible scaling.
Zelostech partnership: From pitch to pavement
Zelostech, founded in China in 2021, builds autonomous vehicles for short- and medium-distance logistics. The company now operates some 4,000 fully electric AVs across more than 300 cities in China and Singapore. Its technology entered DHL’s ecosystem via the DHL Fast Forward Challenge, a program identifying startups solving future supply chain needs. After recognition for urban logistics potential, the collaboration advanced rapidly through proof-of-concept trials to live deployment on campus grounds.
Operational metrics at DHL ARC Singapore
At the Singapore ARC, Zelostech vehicles handle daily point-to-point transport between DHL-managed facilities. Each vehicle carries up to three pallets — equivalent to 1.5 tons per trip — and operates around the clock, averaging 40 trips daily while covering 28 kilometers. A small fleet moves dozens of pallets each day, freeing human staff for higher-value coordination and exception handling.
Cost, emissions, and workforce impact
Autonomous vehicles deliver consistent performance at roughly half the operating cost of traditional diesel trucks, with significant savings projected. As fully electric units, they directly reduce CO₂ emissions versus fossil-fuel alternatives — supporting customers’ Scope 3 emissions-reduction targets. Safety improves through advanced sensors and automatic obstacle avoidance in high-traffic warehouse zones. Operationally, team roles shift from driver supervision to system and data management — building digital capabilities aligned with future logistics careers.
“We’re excited to see autonomous technology in full-scale operation here in Singapore and explore how it can transform the way we move goods between sites. It’s an important step in strengthening our ability to deliver smarter, greener logistics solutions for our customers.”
— Wei Kieng Eunis Hew, Managing Director, DHL Supply Chain Singapore
Broader market and labor context
The global autonomous truck market is projected to grow from $46.58 billion in 2026 to $107.7 billion by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate of 11.04%, according to Fortune Business Insights. North America and Asia Pacific lead this expansion. Labor shortages amplify urgency: by 2030, the US will face a shortfall of ~160,000 truck drivers; Europe expects 745,000 unfilled driver roles by 2028, per McKinsey & Company. Sensor-based navigation also reduces collision risk in low-speed, repetitive environments like logistics campuses, as documented in peer-reviewed studies cited by MDPI and Nature.
Source: www.dhl.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
