After a bit of a delay from the original plans to commence sales before 2018 was out, continental European customers will be able to get their hands on the Lynk & Co 01 before the end of 2020. Key to the offering is simplicity: there will be no franchised dealers, no extra-cost options and membership-based mobility solutions that allows customers to simply rent the car for the period they need if they don't want or need to buy it in the more traditional sense. It also boasts industry-leading over-the-air connectivity.
Technically the 01 is very similar to the well-regarded Volvo XC40 SUV. It shares the XC40’s CMA platform, hybrid drivetrains and many of its advanced safety systems.
Membership-based mobility.
Lynk & Co’s mobility membership lets customers get as much car as they want. It’s easy to sign up in a few steps online, or in-person at one of their club locations. You can sign up for a month-to-month membership with a car for up to €500 per month. Members can lower their monthly costs when they share their cars and change or cancel their membership with only one-month notice. Insurance, scheduled maintenance, and access to a car sharing platform are all included in the price of the membership. Alternatively, if you don’t need a car of your own, you can sign up for a free membership and only pay when you borrow a car. You will also be able to buy the car online or offline at one of Lynk & Co’s clubs. In selected markets, you can even opt to have your car delivered to your door.
Share the ride.
Hassle-free car sharing is a key perk for members, allowing them a sustainable way to reduce the number of individual cars on the road. Members with a car will be able to share with friends, family, or other members to offset their monthly costs. To make it simple, Lynk & Co developed a sharing platform that will let members manage bookings, share the car location, and send a digital key from their smartphones and in the car.
Meet the 01.
Lynk & Co also revealed the 01, their first model to be available to European customers. The 01 is available with a range of efficient electrified powertrains designed with infrastructure in mind. PHEV and HEV powertrains help to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions–with up to 70 km pure electric range possible with the PHEV.
Everything extra is included.
For Lynk & Co, trim levels and option packs are old automotive and pointlessly complex. Instead of an endless option list, the 01 was built with the concept that, “everything extra comes standard”. This means that the car will come with all features included without the customer having to select (or pay extra for!) add-ons. In fact, the only choices customers will need to make is the color (black or blue) and powertrain (PHEV or HEV).
Keep connected.
The 01 comes with digital and connectivity features such as a large central touchscreen, online navigation, third-party apps, a social media camera, and its own cloud. Lynk & Co will be able to check the health of the cars, maintain features, solve issues over the air, and let members know when it’s time for their scheduled maintenance, all included in the price of membership.
Engineering and technology for the 01 has been developed under CEVT, the shared Geely and Volvo research and innovation center based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The 01 is based on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), the same architecture underpinning the Volvo XC40. CMA is an advanced modular architecture that accommodates many body styles and sizes. Thanks to CEVT’s focus on digital simulation, the architecture has been developed with advanced quality and far quicker than conventional automotive structures.
Going green.
It’s about more than just the car. Lynk & Co has worked to put sustainability at the core of their mission. The average car is only in use for 4% of the time and the rest of the time, it’s parked. By using the sharing platform, members can share resources and reduce the overall number cars on the street. With a focus on growing their membership community (not selling cars), Lynk & Co’s business model encourages a more efficient use of mobility. The membership model itself encourages people to share vehicles and reduces the over- all number of cars on the road. The 01 will be offered exclusively in electrified powertrains, and the interior of the car will be outfitted in ECONYL, a material made of recycled fishing lines.
Join the club.
Lynk & Co still plans to have a physical presence in key cities across their seven target markets. But that doesn’t mean a traditional dealership network. Instead, the company will open “clubs” to be the center of Lynk & Co’s community.
Clubs are a window into the world of Lynk & Co:
places to sip their signature drink, shop, engage with the community, and attend members-only events. The company is collaborating with local artists and designers to outfit the clubs, with a special focus on uplifting ethical, eco-friendly brands.
The first club will open in Amsterdam later this autumn, and the second will open in Gothenburg, Sweden before the end of the year. More locations will be announced in the coming months, as well as a pop-up tour bringing the Lynk & Co experience to cities around Europe.
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