Lynk & Co car

For classic hybrid engine, the manufacturer announces an average of 6.6 l/100 km. More sober, the rechargeable hybrid version drops to 1.2 l/100 km. A theoretical figure which largely depends on the driving rate in 100 % electric mode.

Lynk & Co 01

Configure your LYNK & CO 01 vehicle or ask for a free trial.

Available in two hybrid versions, Lynk & Co 01 has been available in France since the end of 2021. In its rechargeable hybrid version, it promises 69 km of autonomy in WLTP cycle.

Lynk & Co 01 engines

Property of the Chinese group Geely, also owner of Volvo, Lynk & Co declines his SUV in two versions:

• Hybrid, The first combines a 1.5 L 105 kW petrol engine (143 hp) with an electric block of 40 kW (54 hp) for a cumulative power of 197 horsepower.
• Rechargeable hybrid, The second wants to be much more powerful and combines a 180 horsepower petrol block with a 60 kW electric motor. The whole develops up to 261 horses.

In both cases, the configuration is traction.

Hev	Phev
Thermal motor	105 kW – 143 hp	132 kW – 180 hp
Electric motor	40 kW	60 kW
Cumulative power	197 CH	261 CH
Max speed	190 km/h	210 km/h
0 – 100 km/h	9.0 s	8.0 s

Lynk & Co 01 autonomy and battery

In terms of autonomy, only the rechargeable hybrid version of the Lynk & Co 01 will be able to travel several tens of kilometers in 100 % electric mode. In this configuration, the Chinese SUV takes on a 17.6 kWh capacity pack, including 14.1 kWh.

In WLTP cycle, the manufacturer announces an electrical autonomy of 69 km in city use and 81 km in town.

Consumption of Lynk & Co 01

Consumption of Lynk & Co 01 is very variable from one version to another.

For classic hybrid engine, the manufacturer announces an average of 6.6 l/100 km. More sober, the rechargeable hybrid version drops to 1.2 l/100 km. A theoretical figure which largely depends on the driving rate in 100 % electric mode.

Hev	Phev
WLTP consumption	6.6 l/100 km	1.2 l/100 km
CO2 emissions	150 g/km	27 g/km

What is the Lynk & Co 01 worth, the car that does nothing like the others ?

The Lynk & Co 01 is an SUV which seems to look like all SUVs, but which is in reality similar to any other. The reason for this: a completely innovative mode of distribution and use. What is the first vehicle of this young brand worth ? We took the wheel in Sweden, on its European lands.

• Black or blue ?
• A SUV almost like any other
• All-in
• Electrical compromise
• Cool driving
• Almost a state of mind on wheels
• Comments

Let us put ourselves before a moment in the shoes of the customer wishing to acquire a new vehicle. Imagine that after having reviewed the hundreds of references offered on the market, our choice is on the Lynk & Co 01, First compact rechargeable hybrid SUV of this young Sino-Swedish brand imported into Europe. Without knowing it, we may have just set foot in the future of the use of the automobile.

Black or blue ?

A bit like at Tesla, the experience begins with the brand’s website. But the similarity with the American manufacturer stops there. Already because there is currentlyonly one reference to the catalog, Then because if buying the car is a possibility, it is not at all the first choice offered.

The manufacturer indeed suggests first to opt for a subscription, Or Monthly Membership. Yes, at Lynk & Co, we approach the car a little like Netflix offers video on demand: In the month, without commitment and at a fixed price. Thus, the Lynk & Co 01 is worth 550 euros per month, insurance and maintenance included and … that’s all. But if you wish to acquire the vehicle, ” What only 2 % of users choose “, According to Alain Visser, the one who imagined and heads today this young automobile shoot, it will cost you 41,500 euros And not one more penny, except to add roof bars and a coupling kit, the only option offered against 1,020 euros. Ah, yes, you can of course choose the color, provided it is black or blue, only shades available in the catalog.

“” By offering all equipped cars, without option and with a limited choice of colors, we can deliver much faster than the others “Explains Alain Visser with a smile that seems never to be able to leave his face. A sort of reinvention of Fordism, in short, named Henri Ford who offered in his time the Model T, the first popular car made in the. It is also a means of rationalize the interview (which is carried out in the Volvo network, Lynk & Co’s mother brand): no need to have tons of different paintings in stock in the event of a bodywork workshop.

Finally, there is a third way to drive a 01: By sublet it on time to a tenant or owner via the Carsharing function available with the car. It is a way to reduce its monthly charge, the rental rate being chosen freely by the right. In Amsterdam, a city where Lynk & Co is already very present, the average price revolves around 10 to 20 euros an hour. To rent a car, simply register for the club (already 100,000 members in Europe), then locate a car and click in the mobile app to reserve it. This is a bit like the principle of autolib, but with real cars.

A SUV almost like any other

That’s it, the car is before our eyes. We feel that The designers were happy, Despite the constraint of having to draw an SUV. If the range is rational, the style does not save on the ruptures, breaks and other lines that animate the drawing of 01. From the tip of the grille to the rear shield, it is impossible to get bored by looking at this SUV.

We could consider it as A Volvo XC40 which would have stolen the front of a Ford Puma or a Kia Sportage. We may not like, but it is well done to challenge and be noticed. Although based on the Volvo XC40 platform, 01 is 12 centimeters longer (4.54 m) and a few narrower millimeters (1.86). With 1.69 m at the height, it is also 4 centimeters higher.

All-in

Inside, ditto. No matter how many references to the Volvo cousin, there are not any. The driving position is articulated around a Large 12.7 -inch central screen placed in landscape mode. In its extension, we find the air conditioning and heating controls, with shortcuts to certain functions on the left and the Qi charging area in the center, which can be deactivated in the car settings to transform it into a simple vacuum pocket. This is followed by the speed and driving mode selectors and, below, the dormant and volume button of the sound system, signed infinity.

USB sockets, of types A and C, are located in storage under the central armrest, as well as at the feet of the rear passengers. 100 % digital instrumentation is sober and divided into three blocks on the 12.3 inch screen that composes it. Around the central block which displays navigation or speed outside the programmed routes, there is, on the left, the information of driving aids and, on the right, a customizable pavement. The steering wheel is nicely drawn, even if the commands they incorporate are not immediately identifiable. We sometimes grop to remember what does what, but the habit must take place in a few days of use. Finally, above the head, the large panoramic glass sunroof is also standard and entirely electric.

THE infotainment system is specific to Lynk & Co And, let’s say it, rather very well done, even if navigation has left us a little hungry. It is not a drama, carplay (wireless) or auto Android being implemented in the system. The car itself has4G cell connection. We quickly access the various screens, a home button located at the bottom allowing you to easily return to the starting point. To access the settings and apps, a simple sweep to the left is enough.

There are some nuggets, especially A photo/selfie mode that allows you to immortalize a scene at the front or inside the car, with a delay for yourself being able to pose. Another button, Co.Lab, serves as a box for ideas. If you want to see this or that function developed for the car, just state it vocally and then send it. Regularly, the Lynk & Co development teams choose one and integrate it after an update of the system.

We are really in a club spirit, and it is precisely this towards what the brand tends. She does not have a concession, But actually clubs where the car is not particularly highlighted, but where the members (or not) can come freely, buy trinkets, have a drink, work or, obviously, find out about the car in sets fairly spectacular. The Paris club should open before the end of 2022.

A quick owner’s turn allows us to see that this car is not lacking much without option. The seats are heated, electric and memory for the driver. THE Level 2 driving aid allow you to rest a little legs on long journeys. The sound system is of good quality (even if it lacks a bit of punch and relief on the mediums in particular). The upholstery made from plastics extirpated from the ocean and recycled is comfortable, while the storage is numerous and the 466 -liter trunk offers a respectable volume for the category.

Electrical compromise

Under the hood, there is a hybrid mechanism mixing a 3-cylinder 3-cylinder turbocharged engine of 132 kW (180 hp) with an electric machine of 60 kW, for a cumulative power of 261 horsepower maximum. Electric mode is ensured by A useful 14.1 kW rechargeable battery. Again, it was rationality that ordered this choice. Regarding a self-brought to be shared-without it being an obligation, let us remember-it was wiser to opt for the guarantee of being able to drive at any time when it is not always easy to find something to charge, especially at the heart of certain capitals.

Nevertheless, assures us Alain Wisser, The next Lynk & Co sold in Europe will be 100 % electric. In China, the brand already offers 8 references, but none is 100 % electric. However, full battery, the electric mode easily holds the 70 km announced by the manufacturer for the Road WLTP cycle. In this area, the restless offspring of Volvo does better than the PHEVs of the brand that we have been able to drive so far, even if our rolling in Sweden, on roads where maximum speed is often very limited, have not been carried out in conditions entirely similar to those we would have had in France, for example.

The whole is in any case sufficiently efficient to Allow the 01 to speed up 0 to 100 km/h in 8 seconds and meet at 210 m/h at maximum speed, Even if this is prohibited on almost 100 % of the planet roads.

Cool driving

At the wheel, the car turns out to be handy enough to evolve in the city, which is already a good thing since it is essentially in urban areas that the sub which sub-share in self-sharing are carried out. Three driving modes are offered to the driver, but hybrid mode – which promotes electric motor skills – does the trick for almost 100 % of situations. The car behaves smoothly, but is also capable of good times when the conditions impose it. In a little more dynamic mode, the chassis part shows demonstrates its good development. Roulis taking is controlled.

Only braking can disconcert : after a very soft attack, it quickly becomes too aggressive. It surprises the first time, but also the second, and even that according to. In short, you have to learn to dose it and we can also use the regenerative mode for that, if it does not go as far as complete stop, allows you to start the decelerations in the same time as it is quite frankly as it brings a little juice to the battery.

Note that The double clutch gearbox has 7 reports which can be selected in sequential mode if necessary. The transition from electric mode to thermal mode is done fluidly, without jerk or vibration and the volume of the latter remains low. Overall, the car is well soundproofed. Once all this well apprehended, the car is frankly pleasant to drive and seems to be able to fill most of the uses of a family.

Almost a state of mind on wheels

It is hardly surprising that Lynk & Co attacks the European market with a SUV insofar as it remains the most promising segment of the moment. On the other hand, we could wonder about the choice of size, but the fact is that by positioning roughly in the middle of the offer, between city dweller and family, it covers a little more than the needs of the first and barely less than those of the second.

The 01 is generously habitable and will not impose too much compromise on families who would be tempted. Above all, The price at which it offers its ultra complete service located in the (very) low for range of the market And even 10,000 euros cheaper than its Volvo cousin. The subscription system might suggest that a wolf hides in the small lines, but we find ourselves discovering that everything seems clear and not surprising. Even the price of the franchise in the event of a disaster is clearly displayed.

In fact, the 01 is a bit the car that makes you forget the worries of a car and a quick detour through the brand’s headquarters allows us to understand that we are dealing with people who do not forbid anything. Here, some meeting rooms seem to have been decorated under acid, when it is not an old caravan installed in the basement, three meters from a basketball basketball. “” We look at what others do and we almost always do the opposite “Says Alain Visser. In the company, 50 of the employees are women and 80 % had never worked for a car brand before. The candidates are jostling to invent the automobile of tomorrow. “” For an ad, I receive hundreds of CVs in just a day ”, laughs the happy boss.

Thus, the very name of the brand (Lynk & Co) has a story that could find its place in a scene of Very bad trip And that of the car, 01, does not respond to any other logic than that of being awarded to the first car, the second being called 02, and so on, ignoring the segment in which it is placed. For this CEO “if we do not make a mistake, it is that we made a mistake”. A way of saying that you have to try everything at the risk of being wrong. The result ? Already 15,000 units of 01 run in Europe (1000 to 1200 in France), the order book is full and customers are satisfied. The biggest regret: not being able to deliver faster right now. It takes two to three months to obtain your vehicle, Where usually the timeline revolves around a week. However, it remains better than almost all of its competitors ..

Final test note: Lynk & Co

Bad in nothing and full of advantages, the 01 marks the impactful entry of Lynk & Co on the European market. Born Chinese but thought for our regions, 01 is a coherent car, without (bad) surprise and which can even be shared to lighten its detention costs. Very recommendable in its kind.

• Iconoclastic vehicle ..
• … Which will not derive anyone however
• Pricing system
• Scalability

I left the traditional brands for the Lynk & Co 01, my verdict

It is the first car in France which can bring you money. Here is my return from experience from Lynk & Co 01. Its advantages and disadvantages.

Posted December 15, 2022 at 6:00 p.m

The automotive sector is preparing for an even greater transition than that of electrification. Self -supporting, which will result from the emergence of the autonomous car, is inevitable. With him, consumers will no longer see cars as products, but as services. The vision already applies in the world of aeronautics (necessarily, it is more complicated to buy a plane).

Like electric cars, its adoption will not be at the same pace according to the brands. And if traditional manufacturers have rather well received long -term rental as a transitional phase, there is a much more advanced brand and convinced that sharing the automobile should not wait. Her name is Lynk & Co.

In its catalog in Europe, it has only one model, the Lynk & Co 01, which I tried the time of a stay in Milan in Italy. In the center of the city, the brand born in 2014 under the infusion of capital of the Geely group (the Chinese group which owns Volvo and Lotus in particular) opened its doors to present its offer where the sharing replaced possession.

Interesting figures: out of 18,000 French customers of the brand, there are only 3,000 LYNK & CO 01 registered. Same thing on a European level: 170,000 drivers for only 25,000 cars. In the future, the target ratio sought by the brand is at 35,000 cars per 100,000 customers. His CEO, Alain Visser, with whom I maintained myself, realized his dream after 40 years of career among traditional manufacturers: finally offer a more sustainable, more practical and cheaper solution in the automotive world.

If we had to place Lynk & Co between Audi, Uber and a rental agency, the boss would not hesitate for a second: “Certainly not audi”, he told us “The Lynk & Co model is similar to a model that of Uber and a rental agency”. The offer revolves around a subscription at 550 euros per month, without obligation, where the customer can use the car when he wishes, keep it at home, and drive up to 1,250 kilometers per month and 15,000 per year.

In parallel, the latter can decide to share his car, and in this case put it under sublet. In exchange, he will earn between 10 and 20 euros per hour. The functionality requires no effort, only to configure on the application or on the dashboard the duration at which the car remains available.

The Lynk & Co 01 that I tried last month is not independent, but it is connected. And in 2022, that’s all that matters to Alain Visser, to be able to dematerialize the keys to the smartphone, give birth to a community around the brand and reduce the number of cars in circulation without reducing the brand’s margins.

Unlike other brands that praise electricity, Lynk & Co 01 works in rechargeable hybrid. The best compromise, for the moment, in order to offer enough autonomy while giving the possibility of consuming anything during urban use for example. The next model will certainly arrive next year, in 100 % electric this time.

5 advantages with Lynk & Co 01

1) What is expected of a rechargeable hybrid

You have to be honest, in 2022, with the difficulties of finding rapid recharges for long journeys, the solution of the rechargeable hybrid can still be relevant. Even if of course, opting for a SUV silhouette is never very intelligent in an ecological logic. Like all the others in its category, the Lynk & Co 01 is not intended for big rollers. On the highway, its consumption exceeds 7 liters measured on our mixed journey.

On the other hand, in electric, it offers according to our measures around 60 kilometers of independence in mixed cycle, and almost 70 kilometers in town. Results in the high range of the category. You will not have to have a heavy foot that said. Even with the 100 % electric mode started, the car can quickly restart its 3 -cylinder turbocharged 3 -cylinder block of 1.5 liter (180 horsepower).

The mass of the Lynk & Co 01 is 1,879 kilos empty. In 100 % electric, the hybrid SUV delivers only 100 horsepower (60 kW engine, 14.1 kWh battery). With 261 cumulative horses, the SUV is not a lightning lightning (0 to 100 km/h in 8 s), but has an undeniable advantage of the electric: an instant couple to quickly fit into traffic. Add to that a pleasant driving, with an adjustment halfway between a Volvo XC40 and a Volkswagen Tiguan, and you get a rather firm damping model for dynamic behavior and which does not take too much roll in curve.

2) Why look for more premium ?

The look of the Lynk & Co 01 is different from the Volvo XC40, with whom it shares the platform. However, it is far from being original and also takes up known elements of Asian SUVs, such as the Kia Sportage. But for 41,500 euros new, already 7 years of career, he does not contribute in the same category as the Swedes or the Germans. And it’s all in his honor.

During my test, I was in no way disturbed by the size of the costs in the passenger compartment. You will not find leather or imitation of leather, but the fabric of the seats, the overall design and the space on board are nothing disappointing. I particularly appreciated the semblance of double flat on the steering wheel and ergonomics on board. Larger than in an Audi Q4 e-tron or in a Volkswagen ID5, the Lynk & Co 01 screen reaches 12.7 inches and the display for navigation can be projected behind the meters (12.3 inches), As with the brand with rings.

With the emergence of electricity, traditional manufacturers had to counterbalance their expenses in research and development by choices of materials and more basic parts, point which is not found at Lynk & Co. Everything seems well assembled despite the predominant use of plastic. The brand is not limited to physical buttons, as with its shortcuts for air conditioning. For once, Volkswagen is behind (even if we appreciate the new design of its habitacles for their minimalism in favor of ergonomics).

Of course, we do not find a semi-autonomous driving mode, but the Lynk & Co is delivered with all the equipment that the brand has-including heated and electric front seats. No option, apart from the choice between two colors and a trailer attachment.

3) A very reasonable space on board

The habitability of the Lynk & Co 01 confronts that of the queens of the category. On the French side, the Peugeot 3008 is beaten in the rear seats. No less than 10 centimeters more in length are available on the hybrid SUV. No choice of colors possible apart from the black and the blue of standard, but for the price of the model (in subscription as in purchase), it is delivered with a glass roof which benefits both the fronts and rear seats. Behind the electric tailgate, a 466 -liter chest is revealed (452 ​​l on the Volvo XC40) with practical access and the surface which can easily be cleaned and not to be damaged.

4) A car for infidels ..

Five years ago, Lynk & Co 01 shocked the traditional car press for its subscription model. It was still too early. Today, in a world where mobility is so strong that any hardware tie (including a car) can be a weight to move easily and quickly, Lynk & Co 01 arrives with an offer that finds a real clientele.

At 550 euros per month today, it does not necessarily differentiate from long -term rental offers … but has the undeniable advantage of being without commitment. The customer can therefore leave his car aside from one month to another without having to terminate any contract, pay a surplus, or have to resell his car. If he wishes to continue the subscription, after 12 months, the advantage of Lynk & Co is that the car will be replaced by a more recent (logically new).

A “win-win contract” thinks Alain Visser, as the resale in the occasion of the brand’s fleet greatly participates in its profitability, while the residual value of the car is still high. “” “We have profitability on the total product cycle. In the long term, we consider that our profitability is at least as large as that of a traditional manufacturer ”, explained the boss to me during our exchange in Milan.

5)… and for swingers

Second benefit with the Lynk & Co 01 offer, its sharing system. The brand’s self -sharing concept finds all its meaning here. Customers will be able to make their model available to other members, in exchange for a financial counterpart. The duration may vary, from an hour. It will also be up to the rental price. From 10 to 20 euros an hour depending on the period and geographic areas.

The sublet of Lynk & Co 01 is a way to amortize the monthly cost of the subscription and provide other members with the use of the car to limit their number on the road. How does it work ? It’s very simple, everything goes through the touch screen on board or via the application. A “sharing” mode is available in the features of one or the other of the screens and in a few seconds, the Lynk & Co 01 is ready to wait for its new driver, which will use your car. For reservations, the dematerialized key of the car will be directly transferred to the member’s profile. So you won’t have to wait on site.

5 drawbacks with the Lynk & Co 01

1) Some defects on board

Now let’s talk about the disadvantages of the Lynk & Co 01 and start by returning to the car test. After my day at the wheel, including a round trip to Milan-Bergame airport located 60 kilometers from the city center, I was able to test the rear seats. First observation: the drawing of the seats brings special comfort to the level of the shoulder blades. The padding is too firm to my taste. On this same rear shelf, the comfort is less noticeable while the asperities of the road are much less erased. We feel much more the faults of the road. Same thing on the side of soundproofing. She benefits less in the rear seats.

Back at the wheel of the Lynk & Co 01, I note that the integration of regenerative braking is not as discreet as on a brand like Audi or Volkswagen. The junction between regenerative braking and effective braking via discs is not very fluid. To follow navigation, there too, mapping and interface specific to Lynk & Co models are not very refined or practical. Small design defects that recall the price of the model and its advanced age now. Its first copies were released 7 years ago.

2) The mileage is limited, beware of the outset

With the Lynk & Co 01 subscription, you will have to be careful and not ride too much. Per month, the offer offers a maximum of 1,250 kilometers. After this limit, you will be out of package, as with a telephone operator. The invoice rises quickly as it takes into account each additional kilometer. Its price is 0.15 euros per additional kilometer. In the end, per year, Lynk & Co members will not be able to drive more than 15,000 kilometers. Fortunately, if you plan to go on vacation for a month, you can credit the few kilometers you have made the previous month.

On the other hand, the use of the car implies not to leave the European Union. The only countries outside the EU open to Lynk & Co are the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It might seem harmless, but this is a point to take into consideration … especially if Lynk & Co officials decide to develop this policy in the future.

3) No possible purchase option

We said above, about the Lynk & Co business model. Unlike traditional manufacturers, which offer rentals with purchase option, it will never be possible for customers of Lynk & Co 01 to recover the full ownership of the car at the end of the contract.

It is obviously possible to buy a model on the second -hand market, while the brand sells all its hybrid SUVs after 12 months, but the monthly payments they have paid for a year will have no effect on The price of the model. We will therefore have to pay more than 37,000 euros to acquire the model – according to our research, many copies on occasion with a year and 15,000 kilometers cost more than 37,000 euros. Nothing very economically interesting therefore.

4) A price that can evolve

If we compare Lynk & Co’s offer to that of a telephone operator, perhaps should remind us that never, with a non-binding package, the customer will be sheltered from an increase in. The first took place this summer. The Lynk & Co 01 went from 500 to 550 euros per month. “We communicated pro-actively, there was no surprise. Customers who had subscribed to the subscription at 500 euros per month received a letter informing them that the price would drop to 550 euros three months later, on September 1 ”, declared a company spokesperson.

The fault of costs, twice as important today with inflation, tried to explain Alain Visser to me. Lynk & Co must notably send his cars from China to Europe by boat, while unlike Volvo, his cars are not produced on the old continent. Today, we are not at the shelter that the brand chooses to increase its prices again. The medal back of a non -binding offer.

5) An offer (still) limited

The Lynk & Co 01 is accompanied by access to spaces, called “clubs” by the brand, located in the city center of several European capitals. If I went to Milan to try the hybrid SUV, it was above all for the inauguration of one of them, in the Italian economic capital. An additional advantage in the subscription offer, while these spaces allow you to find a corner where to work if necessary, take a drink or participate in events organized every week.

Enough to make you want to subscribe to Lynk & Co ? No. The new space in Milan, despite the glitter, will only appeal to the interested parties of a space where to work for free, but the most discreet will not find anything very profitable in these spaces that they may never rub shoulders. In France, the first space is not planned before next year. For the time being, the urgency is still to deploy a wider offer of products. A single rechargeable hybrid model, especially an SUV, may not be the most complete on the market. Many will turn to competition for a wider choice of products, engines or finishes offered.

All this is only transitional and we will come back to our opinion of the Lynk & Co 01 in a year, when things may have already changed well. If the brand reaches its profitability objectives in two years, it will certainly turn on a larger range of products, including apparatus for softer mobility, such as scooters or electric scooters.

We are still waiting to know when the Lynk & Co 01 100 % electric will also come out, and if it will be based on a Volvo or not architecture. To the question of whether Lynk & Co could collaborate with other manufacturers in the future, his boss Alain Visser replied: “Absolutely”. The brand will then have to establish partnerships with manufacturers, but also repair networks. Currently, Lynk & CO 01 has access to approved Volvo dealer, who have agreed to take part in the program.