Auto Shangai 2025: Lynk&Co is aiming for a new lease of life in Europe
- The Chinese brand Lynk&Co (one of the many brands of the Geely group ) has been distributed in Europe since 2021. At the beginning, It had bet on an unconventional purchasing process for this market, since it was a non-binding subscription system applied on the Internet and accredited on its only model marketed in Europe, the Lynk&Co 01 SUV, this model being based on the Volvo XC40 plug-in hybrid (Volvo is also a brand of the Geely group ).
- The formula worked for two years but has been in decline since 2023. While sales in China are trending upwards, reflecting the growth of the Chinese automotive market and a more traditional distribution system, in Europe, sales have been at their lowest since 2023. It should be added that only one model is available on a restricted number of European markets (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden) and nine different models on the Chinese market. The lack of a network has not worked in favor of the formula in Europe. Today, the brand is backtracking and returning to a more traditional distributor and paying (direct purchase or long term leasing) systems. Around thirty distributors are planned for 2025 for Europe, including around ten in France.
- It is in this context that Lynk&Co is launching the 02, a compact SUV based on the Volvo EX30 and Smart #3. In fact, this model has been known for several months in China under the name Lynk&Co Z20. It is a battery electric rear-wheel drive SUV measuring 4.46 m long, which is 22 cm longer than its cousin, the Volvo EX30, which is part of the B segment, and 3 cm longer than the Volvo EX40, which is part of the C segment. The Lynk&Co 02 can therefore be classified in the C segment.