Geely keeps it clean, drone delivers new car keys

Buy a car from Geely, the Chinese automaker and parent company of Lotus and Volvo, and it will be delivered disinfected. It may also be equipped with a N95-rated filtration system to combat the coronavirus.

And to complete the non-contact buying process, a drone will deliver the car keys.

According to a report on carandriver.com, Geely began its online car-buying system in February. The manufacturer reported it has delivered 10,000 cars in China with the new service.

In February, Geely announced its Icon electric sport utility with be sold with an in-car filtration system.

“The new system will now use drones in select locations to pass new car keys to consumers by delivering directly to their door or balcony, furthering the distance between staff and consumer and creating a truly contactless process,” a Geely representative said, according to the automotive publication.

When a customer buys a via Geely online, the orders are transferred to local dealers. They’re responsible for the disinfection process and then delivering vehicles at customers’ homes.

A drone will then deliver the car keys to buyers’ homes, dropping the goods in a pouch and an agreed-upon home or business location.

Neither Volvo nor Lotus have adopted the new delivery system or included an in-car filtration system with vehicle purchases.

China is the world’s largest car market with about 28 automobiles sold in 2018. About 17 million vehicles were sold in the United States — the second-largest auto market.