Lynk & Co: Zero as the first electric model?

After a solid start, Lynk & Co sales are currently plummeting in Germany. This is because only the SUV 01 with hybrid or plug-in hybrid drive is still being offered. In 2021, the company planned to introduce a purely electric vehicle "no earlier than 2023."

The "spy photos" look very promotional  

It could be a sedan in the upper mid-range class. Quite promotional photos of it have been published on the "CarNewsChina" portal and the "X" news service. Internally, the electric sedan is said to be called E371 and will be officially presented in May 2024. It is expected to hit the market in the middle of this year, possibly under the name Zero.

According to initial reports, the Zero is over five meters long and is based on the same platform as the 001 from Geely's subsidiary Zeekr, which was once derived from a Lynk & Co model. However, unlike the Zeekr 001, the Zero is not a shooting brake but rather a fastback sedan. There are no technical details yet, but one can use the Zeekr 001 as a blueprint. This means: a base with the company's well-known 200 kW (272 hp) rear-wheel drive and up to 620 kilometers of WLTP range, of which around 400 are likely to be realistic. Above this could be an all-wheel-drive version with 400 kW (544 hp).

Lynk & Co urgently needs new models

The crux of the many Geely brands: After positioning Lynk & Co as a subscription alternative in the premium segment, nothing followed. Although the brand encompasses many more models in China. They also missed out on purely electric versions, as well as a significant expansion of the service network. According to our experience, Lynk & Co customers are satisfied with the product, but if the company wants to seriously compete, it needs more than one model in two colors and engines and ideally an electric alternative. And now that Geely has even derived Zeekr from Lynk & Co and positioned it even higher alongside Volvo and Polestar, many ideas and products are needed to keep Lynk & Co viable in the market. Therefore, Lynk & Co is likely to be positioned below Zeekr in terms of performance and price. According to "CarNewsChina," the new electric sedan could cost between around 25,700 and 38,500 euros before taxes in China. If a version under 40,000 euros (or for 499 euros all-in rent) could be launched in Europe, that would be significant!