Lazarus Motor Company clients can pay via EFT, $UBU tokens, USDC and United States dollar tether in the metaverse.
Lazarus Motor Company has unveiled an immersive virtual car dealership, created in UBU, a virtual world in Africa. It claims that it marries creativity, crypto-currency and commerce.
According to a statement, the virtual showroom allows customers to navigate a 3D dealership from home, examining Jetour and MG vehicle models in full scale, adjusting colours and trims, and interacting with an artificial intelligence (AI) sales assistant.
Vehicle buyers can also connect with a live finance and insurance advisor to complete the administrative steps traditionally handled in a physical dealership, it says.
A metaverse is a network of connected, immersive digital worlds where people can interact, work, shop and play, using 3D avatars.
According to Lazarus, the intention is to streamline the buying process by consolidating browsing, comparison and transaction tasks into a single environment – the metaverse.
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Once a customer selects a vehicle, the standard ‘know your customer’ checks are handled by the dealership team, and the financing process mirrors what would occur in person.
“We’ve built a digital dealership that’s open 24/7 − where curiosity meets convenience,” says Ross Lazarus, executive director of Lazarus Motor Company.
“Customers are not limited to crypto payments. In the metaverse, you can still purchase with cash or complete a finance application just as you would normally. EFT, $UBU tokens, USDC (United States dollar circle) and United States dollar tether are also supported on secure Ethereum Virtual Machine, blockchain rails.”
After a purchase is completed, customers receive a digital “DriveKey Non-Fungible Token”. This serves as a verified record of ownership that can be redeemed at any Lazarus dealership. Vehicles can be collected from any Lazarus dealership or be delivered anywhere in SA.
UBU CEO Mic Mann says the partnership aims to reimagine the way consumers interact with the car-buying process, while providing tools that blend automation with human support.
“For Lazarus, the project represents an experiment in offering 24/7 access to its catalogue without requiring customers to visit multiple physical showrooms,” says Mann.
“Together with Lazarus, we’re reshaping how people discover, connect and transact – one experience at a time.”
Although virtual showrooms have been tested internationally, Lazarus’s entry into the metaverse signals growing interest among local automotive retailers in new digital channels, notes Mann.
Other local companies that have bought land on Ubu to offer their products in the metaverse include Nedbank, MTN, World Data Lab and M&C Saatchi Abel.
The virtual reality marketplace says it has seen interest from local companies and individuals wishing to capitalise on the multiple opportunities presented by the metaverse.
