The automotive arena just got more interesting. While Lei Jun’s Xiaomi SU7 dominates headlines, Richard Liu’s JingDong has been quietly executing its own automotive playbook.

On July 2, at the 17th International Transportation Technology Expo, JD Logistics unveiled its self-developed unmanned light truck – JD Logistics VAN. Equipped with ten core technologies including high-precision positioning, multi-sensor fusion, and L4 autonomous driving, this electric workhorse boasts a 1000kg payload, 24m³ cargo space, and 160km range. Capable of 60km/h top speeds and all-weather operation, it’s less about hardware novelty and more about JD’s strategic stride into smart logistics.

Behind the Move: A Calculated Roadmap

This isn’t JD’s first automotive rodeo. Since 2015, Liu backed William Li’s NIO as an early investor. Later, JD launched “JingCheHui” (auto marketplace), established an automotive division in 2023, and recently trademarked “Joyrobotaxi” for potential robotaxi ventures. Yet, Liu insists: “Automobiles are crucial for JD’s future – but we won’t build cars ourselves.” The message is clear: JD’s automotive ambitions orbit around logistics supremacy, not passenger vehicles.

Logistics as the Silent Weapon

In e-commerce’s cutthroat landscape, delivery speed is the ultimate battleground. During this year’s 618 hopping fest, JD doubled down with its “Boost Plan”- upgrading 211 same/next-day delivery, deploying autonomous vehicles, and AI-empowering couriers. The VAN now adds another layer: reducing labor costs, minimizing errors, and tightening delivery windows. Unlike rivals fixated on subsidies, JD bets on autonomous efficiency as its moat.

The Instant Retail Endgame

With Alibaba, Meituan, and Douyin battling over 30-minute deliveries, JD’s VAN isn’t just a tech flex—it’s a foresight into instant retail’s logistics arms race. As Liu envisions, JD’s future lies in merging e-commerce with intelligent infrastructure. While Xiaomi chases car buyers, JD rewrites the rules of goods movement.

The trucks are rolling. The real game has just begun.

Data sources: JD Logistics disclosures, China EV100 reports, S&P Global Mobility 2024.