Lynk & Co, a subsidiary of Chinese automotive giant Geely, has revealed the 01 – an electrified SUV that is the company’s first model to be made available in Europe.
Available in two electrified powertrain options of PHEV and HEV, the 01 has been engineered 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.
The PHEV version, the pairs a 3-cylinder turbocharged engine with a 17.6 kWh battery and 60kW electric motor to produce a 0-100km/h acceleration in 7.9 seconds with a top speed of 220km/h. Up to 70km of range can be driven in pure electric mode.
Perhaps the most innovative aspect of the 01 launch is the announcement of a new monthly mobility membership, which aims to shake up the car ownership model.
Lynk & Co revealed details of 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, for those who don’t need a car of their own, they can sign up for a free membership and only pay when they borrow a car.
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.
“Today we introduce a new approach to ownership and mobility. We’re offering a radical solution for a new generation of connected customers who want mobility on their terms. The automotive industry has continued with a distribution and ownership model that has existed for 100 years. We’re changing that. Customers today value products that reflect their digital and ever-changing lifestyle. We are Lynk & Co and our aim is to simplify ownership by innovating and redefining how cars are bought, owned, connected, serviced, and used. We exist to change mobility forever,” said Alain Visser, CEO Lynk & Co International.
