Vanke joins hands with Shenzhen Metro to open up a new track for integrated development

Author | Zhou Zhiyu

A futuristic scene has become a reality in Shenzhen: a cartoon robot skillfully plans routes, waits for trains, and autonomously takes the subway, delivering boxes of goods precisely to designated 7-Eleven stores.

On July 14, at the Wanxia Station on Shenzhen Metro Line 2, this Arctic Tern cartoon robot, loaded with goods, launched its first unmanned delivery pilot. This innovative scenario of "rail transit + robot delivery" is a collaboration between Shenzhen Metro Group and Vanke, with the core robot and intelligent scheduling system developed by Vanke's subsidiary, Wanwei Logistics.

This marks the world's first pilot case of logistics delivery by robots autonomously using the public subway system. It is not only an innovation in technology application but also a new exploration of urban service ecosystems.

For the hundreds of shops operating in the subway, delivery has long been a challenging problem.

As the manager of the participating 7-Eleven store stated, traditional ground delivery methods face not only the awkwardness of "difficult parking" but also require manual transportation from ground to underground, with labor and time costs remaining high year-round. The collaboration between Vanke and Shenzhen Metro precisely addresses this pain point.

By activating the idle capacity of the subway during off-peak hours and replacing high-cost labor with unmanned robots, an efficient and low-carbon underground logistics transport chain has been formed.

The subway delivery robot showcased this time is a combination of multiple hardware and software technologies. Its "brain" is an intelligent scheduling system independently developed by Wanwei Logistics, which can comprehensively analyze daily orders, specific locations, delivery time limits, and real-time subway capacity, enabling intelligent planning to achieve optimal path delivery in complex situations involving multiple robots and stores.

According to estimates, only 41 such robots are needed to cover the peak delivery demand of all 7-Eleven stores in Shenzhen's subway. This pilot is just a starting point, and as technology matures, it is expected to be promoted to more subway merchants.

This joint innovation is not only Shenzhen Metro Group's new practice in exploring technology-enabled rail logistics but also an important step for Vanke's logistics business towards a technology-driven transformation.

On a deeper level, this is also the latest attempt to promote strategic integration and business synergy between the state-owned enterprise Shenzhen Metro and Vanke. Industry insiders believe that this cooperation demonstrates Shenzhen Metro's support for Vanke as a major shareholder, which is not only "financial support" but also "blood-making" support through industrial synergy.

By fully leveraging the resource endowment advantages of both parties and developing new productive forces tailored to local conditions, this initiative has not only effectively improved the operational efficiency of subway commerce but also accelerated the transformation of Vanke's logistics business, significantly enhancing market confidence in Vanke's return to a healthy development track.

Vanke's mid-year report forecast shows that it achieved sales revenue of 69.1 billion yuan in the first half of the year, with a sales collection rate exceeding 100%. On the financial side, Vanke's publicly issued bonds have all been repaid on schedule in the first half of the year, with no foreign public bonds maturing before 2027.

In its core residential development business, Vanke actively responds to the market demand for "good houses" and continuously iterates its product offerings. In the first half of the year, the Guangzhou Lixiang Huadi project became the sales champion in the main urban area, with project opening absorption rates exceeding 80% in cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Tianjin, which is particularly remarkable in the current market environment At the same time, Vanke has successfully revitalized 64 projects through a systematic approach to activating existing inventory since 2023, releasing approximately 78.5 billion yuan in saleable value, and achieving over 20 billion yuan in new sales as a result. In addition, Vanke has supplemented high-quality project resources in core cities such as Wuhan, Zhengzhou, and Chengdu, preparing ample "ammunition" for future development.

Beyond its main residential development business, Vanke's operational service business continues to maintain a relatively strong competitive edge. The scale, efficiency, and insurance coverage of its long-term rental apartment business remain industry-leading, with an occupancy rate exceeding 93%; its commercial business is now able to provide light asset operation services for internationally renowned institutions such as GIC and Blackstone; and Vanke Logistics, which has incubated underground robots, also boasts an industry-leading occupancy rate.

While these businesses contribute stable cash flow, Vanke's Pre-REIT fund has made further progress, with the establishment of the Wanxin Jingshi (Xiamen) Housing Rental Fund in collaboration with institutions such as CITIC in the first half of the year, acquiring projects under the Banyu brand and promoting a shift from heavy to light operations.

From strategic cooperation in long-term rental apartments to exploring the "rail + logistics" model, the integrated development of Shenzhen Metro and Vanke is deepening, forming a new urban service ecosystem characterized by diverse scenarios and multiple business formats.

With its own resilient efforts and the support of major shareholders and various parties, Vanke is also expected to gradually return to a healthier and more imaginative development track