Ceva Logistics is stepping up the use of autonomous vehicles in intralogistics to move pallets and containers automatically and flexibly. In September 2026, it launched a pilot project at its Blue Hub in Singapore using two electric Z10 vehicles from Zelostech. The innovation in this case lies in the use of mini-vans designed for urban deliveries in intralogistics. The Blue Hub is an eight-storey, 50,000-square-metre facility serving customers in the luxury, beauty, retail and healthcare sectors, all of which involve high levels of goods handling. The Z10s move autonomously between floors, using the multi-level ramps already built into the facility. The site already integrates other automated systems, including Goods-to-Person technology, automated guided vehicles for picking and robotics solutions. Data collected during the Singapore trial will be used to assess the potential deployment of autonomous mobility solutions at other Ceva Logistics facilities worldwide.
The Z10 family is manufactured by Zelostech, the trading name of Zelos Technology, a Chinese company founded in Suzhou in 2021 by Kong Qi and specialising in autonomous vehicles for logistics. The vehicles, which the company calls RoboVans, are electric mini-vans without a driver's cab, designed for urban logistics and connections between hubs, warehouses and sorting centres. They are approved for use both in controlled areas, such as logistics parks and terminals, and on public roads. The standard version, the Freight Robovan, has a maximum payload of 2,500kg and a cargo volume of 12.5 cubic metres, with a stated range of 250km and a 55.9kWh battery. Its Level 4 autonomous driving system does not rely on pre-built high-definition maps, allowing it to adapt to changing operating environments, from public roads to logistics parks. A refrigerated version, the Cold-Chain Robovan, is also available, with a payload of 2,200kg, a range of 180km and an operating temperature range of -20°C to +12°C.
The vehicles integrate cameras, lidar and dedicated computing units for the perception, prediction, planning and control functions typical of a Level 4 system. A remote fleet management platform allows a single operator to monitor vehicle and delivery status through one interface. The Z10 was the first vehicle without a driver's cab to receive authorisation from Singapore's Land Transport Authority for closed-circuit trials and subsequently for commercial operations on public roads. These models have been used in China since 2023-2024 for urban deliveries and connections between logistics hubs.
The first commercial deployment outside China dates back to October 2024, when Zelostech began a trial with FairPrice Group in Singapore, which subsequently led to operational authorisation during 2025. In October of the same year, the company obtained what it describes as the world's first commercial licence for driverless freight transport in a developed country, again in partnership with FairPrice, with the aim of deploying 30 Z10s over the following two years. During 2026, Zelostech also began working with DHL and SingPost on the use of Z10 RoboVans on public roads, while the Ceva Logistics trial is the first instance of the vehicles being used for a purely intralogistics operation.
P.R.
