"Neolix doesn't just sell unmanned vehicles. We work with China's three major telecom carriers and cloud and mapping companies to offer integrated autonomous driving solutions overseas. We are transplanting 'one-stop solutions' to countries that lack autonomous driving infrastructure and quickly gaining a foothold in those markets."
Yang Zhe, co-founder and chief design officer (CDO) of Neolix, revealed the secret behind the company's rapid overseas expansion in an interview with the Seoul Economic Daily at Neolix's headquarters in Yizhuang, Beijing, on May 16. "China has a complete autonomous driving ecosystem," he said.
Neolix currently provides services in 15 countries and approximately 300 cities as of early this year. Ten of those countries were newly entered last year alone, reflecting the company's accelerating pace of global expansion. In the United Arab Emirates, a key hub, the company aims to deploy 5,000 units by the end of this year and raise total overseas sales to a maximum of 10,000 units by next year. The pace is overwhelming compared with competitors such as Zelos, which has expanded only to the Middle East, and White Rhino, which remains focused on its domestic market.
Mass production — the foundation for overseas expansion — was also underpinned by China's supply chain competitiveness, Yang explained. "The biggest reason unmanned logistics vehicles failed to commercialize for so long was the cost problem," Yang said. "Neolix was able to bring manufacturing costs below 100,000 yuan (approximately 22 million won, $16,000) by leveraging China's supply chain, which covers all core autonomous driving components including batteries, sensors, and lidar."
Neolix landed in South Korea last July after signing a letter of intent (LOI) with the Incheon Metropolitan Government for the commercialization of autonomous logistics technology. The company cites clear market demand and a mature industrial ecosystem as reasons for the move. Demand for unmanned delivery is evident given rising labor costs, urban congestion, and delivery challenges in remote and island areas. Korea's strengths in semiconductors and precision sensor manufacturing also offer significant room for collaboration, the company said. "If Korea's manufacturing infrastructure is combined with China's algorithm and service capabilities, synergies such as cost reduction can be achieved," Yang said. "We are currently discussing cooperation plans with several Korean companies."
Regulatory barriers remain a challenge in the overseas expansion process, however. Virtually no country, South Korea included, has comprehensive regulations governing unmanned vehicles. Neolix participated in drafting Beijing's implementation rules for unmanned delivery vehicle management in 2021 and Shenzhen's citywide unmanned delivery vehicle operation framework in 2025. Building on that experience, the company plans to work toward establishing globally applicable standards. "Based on the operational experience accumulated in China, we will work with local governments to advance regulatory frameworks," Yang said.
