Bohinj, Slovenia. Mobile.bg team from the event site.
Many experts claim that the electric revolution is being postponed and cars with internal combustion engines are on the rise again. But one thing is clear - no matter where things go, electric cars will not disappear. The best ones will simply remain. The new proposal from the Swedes from Lynk & Co, bearing the model designation 02, could become such an electric car. This car will also be sold on the domestic market, and we conducted its first tests. Here are our impressions.
The Lynk & Co car brand is based in Sweden, but like Volvo, it is owned by the Chinese from Geely. After building a popular niche with an innovative car ownership model that can be rented out to other people, based on a hybrid vehicle, the company is now ready with a second model, only this time it is fully electric.
To introduce you a little more to the Lynk & Co brand, we will say that it is part of the Chinese giant Geely, which also owns many well-known brands, including Volvo, Lotus and Polestar. Zeekr is another of Geely's competing brands and the company already provides the platform to Smart in partnership with Mercedes-Benz.
So it is no surprise that Lynk & The Co 02 is an innovative vehicle based on Geely's SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform, specifically the SEA2, which also underpins the Volvo EX30, Smart #1 and Zeekr X. Lynk & Co's new car bears a passing resemblance to the latter, leading some automotive experts to suggest that it is a coupe version of the Zeekr X. But in fact, the car has its own personality.
The basic specification of the Lynk & The Co 02 is equipped with a 66kWh battery and a powerful 200kW (272 hp) motor driving the rear wheels, which puts it on par with the single-motor Volvo EX30 Extended Range in terms of off-road capabilities. The car is just as quick as the Volvo, reaching 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds. The SEA2 platform has options for a dual-motor version and smaller batteries, which Smart and Volvo offer, but for now Lynk & Co is sticking with the single-drive option.
Interior
When you step into the Lynk & Co 02, you’ll immediately realize that the experience is quite different from the Zeekr X or other Geely cars. This is a car with a stylish and clean modern interior, with minimal equipment and a large centrally oriented infotainment screen. But the good thing is that this car still has a display in front of the driver.
There are other very interesting details in the interior design. Since this is a pure EV platform, there is no need for a transmission tunnel in the middle, so Lynk & Co have made the central storage box in front of the armrest removable. There is even an option for a small refrigerator.
The upholstery is leather-free and while it doesn't quite live up to the company's claim that the material used instead is “better than leather“, it is pleasant and the overall interior finish looks modern and, most importantly, of high quality. The "liberal" deployment of ambient lighting, which Lynk & Co calls "Infinity Light", is also impressive, as it supposedly evokes a feeling of infinite interior space. This statement is an exaggeration, but overall the interior is very spacious, extremely high-quality and with the minimalist luxury inherent to the Swedes.
Another area where the 02 competes well with its direct competitors is the space in the back. There is enough space for passengers, although the sloping ceiling at the rear means that you have to watch your head when entering. The panoramic sunroof that takes up the entire roof of the car adds to the feeling of space in the back, but knee room is excellent anyway.
The car also has a decent luggage capacity, with 410 liters in the back with the seats up. The seats fold in a traditional 60/40 ratio, but there is no center compartment that can be folded separately. This is one of the few shortcomings of the cabin, especially if you want to carry skis, for example, plus four people including the driver. Lynk & Co have not specified the total capacity with the rear seats down, but it seems comparable or better than that of competitors, and the floor is flat with a minimal edge. There is also a small 15 liter trunk in the front.
Lynk & Co is keeping the trim level simple, as it did with its first European car. However, while the 01 comes in just one variant, the 02 comes in Core and More trim levels. Neither is quite entry-level, though the More adds 22kW AC charging, a powerful 14-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, 20-inch wheels and a 360-degree camera.
Another area where Lynk & Co is trying to differentiate itself in the market is technology. The 02 we drove was the higher-end More trim level, and the software seemed quite "mature". The digital cockpit comes from field specialist ECARX, which also (unsurprisingly) supplies software for Volvo, Zeekr, Lotus, Smart and Polestar in the Geely group, but also for Citroen and Mazda.
The steering wheel has joystick-like controls on both sides and separate touch buttons, making selecting the control systems easy and enjoyable. Overall, the infotainment system's menu system is logically arranged and it didn't take us long to find the settings we needed. Lynk & Co also boasts about its customer feedback system, where you can press a button in the car to leave a message suggesting improvements. The company claims that the 02 took over 6,000 such suggestions from customers of the previous 01 model into account when developing it.
Engine and driving characteristics
With the 02, Lynk & Co wants to provide an engaging yet practical driving experience. And perhaps for this reason, although the car is fast enough, the handling is a bit sluggish, even if you switch to Sport mode. For most customers, however, this disadvantage will turn into a plus, because this is a car that is clearly tuned more for comfort than for solid driving pleasure.
In line with the softer steering, the ride quality is generally very good. During our test drive, potholes were overcome commendably softly. Part of our driving took place in slower urban conditions, where the size of the 02 seemed almost appropriate to us. This is one of the reasons why C-segment cars are so popular - they are the largest format that still works for city driving and parking.
The 66kWh battery promises an autonomous range of 435 to 445 kilometers on the WLTP cycle, but we all know that this indicator is different in real conditions. During our test, the 02 achieved reasonable, if not exceptional results and calculating the average consumption we came to the conclusion that in mixed mode - urban and extra-urban this car can easily travel 330 kilometers. This is decent for extra-urban distances and with 150kW DC charging, promising 30 minutes of charging from 10 to 80%, you can get around decently on long distances.
Conclusion and prices
In our opinion, the Lynk & Co 02 is one of the most remarkable electric cars in the C-segment. Its design is exceptional (personal opinion), but the quality of the materials and the assembly itself, as well as the dynamic characteristics of the car will definitely appeal to a large part of the potential customers of such cars.
Although it is intended for purchase and rental, this car will be offered in our country through more traditional purchase and leasing transactions. The Core variant costs 73,333 leva including VAT in our country, while for the More you will have to pay 81,150 leva including VAT. Both prices seem quite reasonable compared to the direct competition. Still, this is a premium product that competes with both the German trio Audi/BMW/Mercedes and the top offerings of the Koreans from Hyundai and Kia. The other good news is that these prices will remain at this level despite the tariffs that the EU recently imposed on imported Chinese vehicles. A separate issue is that the company is already looking for local European production to improve this situation.
This car also competes with some more mainstream electric vehicles such as the Peugeot e-3008, Renault Scenic and Ford Explorer, but while it is identical in size and price, its premium appearance is far above them. But along with everything said so far, we must realize that the brand is still unknown in our country, and this car is entering the increasingly crowded market of electric cars in the C segment and its success is not guaranteed, although the pricing and premium appearance are definitely in its favor.
In other words, there's a lot to like about the Lynk & Co 02. The car is quite fast, drives well, has a high-quality interior and a strong technological focus. The mileage is decent, but most importantly of all, it sends a clear signal that despite tariffs, reasonably priced Chinese electric cars are coming to Europe. Protectionism in European markets is not stopping China's march towards electrification. Whether this is the right car for you will depend in part on whether you embrace the "funky urban lifestyle" that this model definitely projects. But the price is attractive and the overall equipment package will meet many requirements.