The domestic payback period is roughly 18 months, while overseas it can take 5 to 10 years. This is the timeframe for customer investment recovery, both domestically and internationally, for the newly launched ZeeBot climbing robot device, as stated by Bi Jianghua, Vice President of Cainiao and General Manager of the Logistics Technology Division. Based on this data alone, one might expect Cainiao to focus ZeeBot's expansion on the domestic market. However, Bi Jianghua's strategy is the opposite: a more conservative approach domestically and a more aggressive push overseas. This seemingly contradictory choice highlights some competitive differences in the logistics technology market across regions. Domestic customers, while seeing a more favorable ROI for investing in climbing robots, face intense price competition for automated equipment. Overseas clients have a slower payback period, but they calculate based on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). They are willing to pay for stability, after-sales service systems, and complete solutions. If the ROI calculation works, they are relatively less price-sensitive. Against the backdrop of global supply chain restructuring, a quiet war has been ongoing beneath the surface. This battle is not in transportation or tariff negotiations, but in warehouse space efficiency, picking efficiency, and similar metrics. Since 2023, Cainiao has entered its 3.0 era. While emphasizing marketization and globalization, it has also positioned the export of its logistics technology capabilities as a key business segment. Logistics technology is no longer just an internal efficiency tool for Cainiao but is now pushed to the forefront of market competition. ZeeBot is a crucial piece in Cainiao's current logistics technology puzzle, yet it faces intense market competition.

Redefining Warehouse ROI Over the past decade, global warehouse automation has undergone several rounds of technological evolution. It began with fixed-rail shuttle car solutions, then moved to the "goods-to-person" systems using潜伏式AGVs popularized by Amazon, followed by the development of CTU (Carton Transit Unit) systems and flying box solutions. They all address two core issues in warehousing: storage density and picking efficiency. However, these solutions share a common weakness: insufficient space utilization and flexibility. Taking the traditional CTU solution as an example, it essentially relies on the coordination of "large vehicles + small vehicles" to complete box retrieval and transportation. Large vehicles handle high-level storage retrieval, while small vehicles manage ground transportation. Wang Zihao, Head of the Logistics Robotics Team at Cainiao's Logistics Technology Division, points out that the efficiency bottleneck in traditional automated warehouses often lies not in single-machine performance, but in "handovers." The task transfers between stacker cranes and conveyor lines, between AGVs and lifts, and between machines and humans are not only points of efficiency loss but also high-incidence areas for failures. The core concept of ZeeBot is to integrate "horizontal movement" and "vertical climbing" into a single robot. According to data released by Cainiao, ZeeBot achieves a horizontal movement speed of 4 meters per second. When climbing vertically, it can reach shelves 5 stories high in 10 seconds. This corresponds to higher density within the warehouse, improving storage space utilization by 40%. The Cainiao cross-border warehouse in Machong, Dongguan, is ZeeBot's first testing ground. The project was initiated in January this year, officially put into operation at the end of March, and is currently still in its "ramp-up phase." It is understood that, so far, 126 climbing robots have been deployed in the warehouse, with about 60 to 70 actually running. The system is expected to face its first real large-scale stress test during this year's 618 shopping festival, with the number of robots reaching 134. Of course, climbing robots are not a Cainiao first; several companies domestically and internationally are attempting them, but the barriers to entry remain relatively high. Furthermore, due to insufficient technical stability and the specific requirements for shelf structure, floor height, layout specifications, etc., when upgrading warehouse systems for climbing robots, the large-scale deployment of climbing robots is still in its early stages. For Cainiao, this year marks the beginning of the large-scale commercial deployment of its climbing robots. Wang Zihao revealed that in fiscal year 2027 (April 1, 2026 - March 31, 2027), Cainiao's climbing robot projects within Alibaba alone will see several worth tens of millions of RMB each. There are also many external projects, involving over a dozen companies. It is understood that for Cainiao currently, the main bottleneck for the large-scale expansion of climbing robots is not orders, but the inability of production capacity and delivery capabilities to keep up. From a market expansion perspective, the greater opportunity for Cainiao's climbing robots lies overseas. Bi Jianghua stated that price is a very important factor in the domestic market, but Cainiao does not want to sacrifice too much profit for scale expansion in the short term. Overseas markets are less price-sensitive; most companies prioritize a complete after-sales service system and capability, followed by product quality and stability, with price being the last consideration.

Logistics Technology Accelerating Roughly five years ago, Cainiao established an independent logistics technology business unit to accelerate the expansion of external business. Within Cainiao, the logistics technology business is currently divided into two main segments: Automation & Logistics Robotics, and Digitalization & Logistics AI Applications. In terms of application scenarios, one category is parcel sorting and distribution for express delivery. The other involves automated solutions for dense storage scenarios in warehouses related to industries like manufacturing, retail, and services, as well as for e-commerce fulfillment and consolidation centers. The logistics automation industry is fiercely competitive, with companies like Geek+, Hai Robotics, Quicktron, and Hikrobot expanding globally, while Amazon's robotics system continues to iterate. Even so, facing the trend of warehouse automation upgrades, doubling down on logistics robotics is a necessary path for Cainiao to build its core competitiveness. What Cainiao aims to do is to have "one robot" complete as much of the warehouse work as possible. "We design products based on the logic of human work within the warehouse," Bi Jianghua said, adding that future focus will be on AI training to solve the challenge of autonomous picking by robotic arms in non-standardized scenarios. As for whether future warehouse robots will be humanoid, Bi Jianghua indicated that Cainiao designs robot product forms based on logistics operational logic and modes, not blindly pursuing a humanoid shape. Wang Zihao noted that many current warehouses are designed for humans. However, a dark factory would not consider the aspects designed for human operation. In other words, humanoid robots in future fully automated factories might abandon some humanoid features; for example, humanoid legs are essentially useless in logistics. One can imagine: if rapid ground movement is needed, wheels are used; if vertical climbing is needed, climbing arms are used; if item retrieval is needed, specialized grippers or suction cups are used. Fully automated and unmanned operations represent a significant future trend in logistics warehousing. Bi Jianghua pointed out that the goal is not only to reduce costs but also to lower error rates through standardized operations, improve fulfillment certainty, and better address the overseas pain points of "difficulty in hiring and managing personnel." "We can see that overseas reliance on robots or automation will be higher." It is understood that Cainiao's logistics technology initially focused mainly on domestic expansion but later began to push overseas as well. Over five years, Cainiao's logistics technology business has also gained a foothold overseas. Since 2025, Cainiao Logistics Technology has accelerated its overseas expansion, simultaneously upgrading its organizational structure into four major regions: Asia-Pacific (including Southeast Asia), Europe, the Americas, and Middle East & Africa. It has increased the dispatch of personnel overseas and local hiring to ensure the delivery of local overseas projects. As of April 2026, Cainiao Logistics Technology has deployed nearly 1,100 projects in 29 countries and regions worldwide. This means that the goal Cainiao set in 2024 of "completing the delivery of 1,000 global technology projects within three years" has been exceeded ahead of schedule. For Cainiao, ZeeBot is not just a warehouse robot product; it is a new breakthrough point in the global logistics technology race. However, challenges are equally evident. First, industry technology iteration remains extremely fast. The current warehouse robotics industry has not yet seen a truly definitive "final product." Whether flying boxes, CTUs, or climbing robots, all are still in a stage of rapid evolution. Second, there is the challenge of localization in overseas markets. Warehouse standards vary greatly between countries, making it difficult to truly replicate Chinese efficiency with automated solutions. The global supply chain is entering a new cycle of infrastructure upgrades. Logistics technology is destined to be the core of future competition, and in this game, Cainiao cannot afford to fall back.