Geely considering multi-brand subscription service

As many of you will know by now, Geely has an enviable corral of brands that includes Volvo, Polestar, Lynk & Co, smart, Lotus and, yes, Proton. Now, the company is looking to leverage its might as it’s considering a multi-brand subscription service that provides access to any of its cars, reports Autocar.

Speaking at the Financial Times’ Future of the Car event, Lotus executive director of corporate strategy and product management, Uday Senapati, said that any such proposal is still very much in the discussion phase. However, he added, “When you’re part of a big group, it’s natural you will look at what could be done together. It’s an obvious thing to look at.”

Posed with the fact that the average car spends 96% of the time parked, Senapati said, “For Lotus, that number is probably higher. It’s really a Sunday summer car for a niche of enthusiasts who adore it for that. We can change that in the future, both by making our cars more useful and moving into different segments, but there are opportunities in sharing too.”

But he also mentioned that a sharing service won’t be a be-all and end-all for car ownership, adding that there will still be a future for traditional purchasing methods. “Car ownership is here to stay, I believe,” he said. “Cars aren’t just a commodity for many people; they mean more, and that will always be the case.”

Car subscription services are certainly on the rise, with a Global Market Insights report recently projecting that 20% of car journeys will be made using these services by 2026, Autocar wrote. Closer to home, several car brands have already begun offering subscriptions for their cars, although it remains to be seen if these services have any traction with the buying public.

So, what do you think – are you guys excited about the prospect of driving a Proton X50 one day and a Volvo XC90 the next? Sound off in the comments after the jump.

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