DiDi Express Orders Surge 303% YoY with Chengdu Leading in Latest Report

Didi Express Delivery Sees Triple-Digit Surge in Orders During China’s “520” Love-Fueled Event

BEIJING, May 23 (CNBC) — Didi’s on-demand delivery arm reported explosive growth during China’s annual “520” consumer holiday, with orders skyrocketing 303.21% year-over-year on May 20 and achieving an 84.93% week-over-week increase, according to company data released Thursday.

The most notable spike came from automotive delivery services, which surged 120.01% compared to regular days, driven by demand for oversized flower arrangements, multi-tiered cakes, and cross-city surprise deliveries for long-distance couples. Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Suzhou emerged as the top three cities by order volume, while Urumqi in northwest China recorded the highest growth rate.

Millennial consumers dominated transactions, with fresh flowers and specialty desserts accounting for 62% of holiday deliveries. Shanghai joined Chengdu and Hangzhou in the top markets for romantic confectionery logistics, showcasing evolving gifting trends among China’s Gen Z population.

“The automotive delivery model has become crucial for managing complex logistics during peak sentimental occasions,” a Didi Express Delivery executive told CNBC. “These high-value, emotionally charged deliveries require climate-controlled transportation, real-time tracking, and precise timing – challenges our vehicle-based solutions are uniquely positioned to address.”

Operational data revealed extraordinary delivery extremes: A driver completed the day’s first assignment by 12:05 AM, while the last package arrived at 11:59 PM. The longest-distance delivery spanned 510 kilometers from Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province to Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province – equivalent to a New York-to-Pittsburgh route – contrasting with a hyper-local 100-meter delivery within a residential complex.

Since launching in June 2023, Didi’s delivery network has expanded to 360 Chinese cities, utilizing electric vehicles, motorcycles, and mid-sized cars to maintain an industry-leading 30-minute average delivery window. The service now directly competes with Meituan and Alibaba’s Ele.me in China’s $150 billion instant commerce sector.