Do these cars protect you against the coronavirus?

The technology in and around your car is evolving at lightning speed. The brands – especially those operating in the higher segments – are eagerly looking for excellence that can convince customers. High-quality air cleaning is one of the latest developments in this list. Some manufacturers do not even turn their hands to promote this with the help of the coronavirus!

Indeed, our surprise was huge when we read the press release from the Geely Icon. After all, this SUV, built by the Chinese motherhouse of the Volvo and Polestar brands distributed in some countries, comes out with what the Asians call an Intelligent Air Purification System. According to the car manufacturer, a system that excels in “isolating and eliminating harmful elements in the air, including bacteria and viruses”. Geely even states in the press release that this system was “developed in record time to respond to the corona crisis”…

However, the Chinese car manufacturer is not the first manufacturer to provide its cars with large air filters. Of course, Tesla also has this. Naturally, Elon Musk has an over the top name on it. This way, you can activate the Bioweapon Defense Mode in the Model S and Model X. Through this mode, the occupants would be able to survive pollen, viruses, bacteria, and even biological poison attacks. But you will also find similar systems in other – mainly luxury cars – that would even perfume the air to create a particular atmosphere.

Does this help?

Are these filters capable of stopping the coronavirus? It depends on how large the openings in your filter are. It is generally assumed that this system offers excellent protection against bacteria such as anthrax or plague.

However, for smaller viruses, such as corona, things are a bit more complicated. In a Tesla, the air filter has openings of 0.3 micrometers, while the coronavirus is 0.06 to 0.14 microns in size. We do not know whether Geely can substantiate his claim, as the Chinese did not provide any figures. But the chance that this is a marketing trick seems realistic.