Chinese brand is plotting an electric strategy for the UK after marketing a single hybrid SUV in Europe
Lynk&Co, the Chinese mainstream brand leveraging Volvo technology, aims to launch in the UK early 2024 with an electric car, the head of its global arm said.
The Geely-owned company started marketing a hybrid SUV in a number of key markets in Europe in 2020 but is plotting an all-electric strategy for the UK.
“As business is going so well in the other countries, we're now accelerating the process of going to the UK, probably early 2024,” Lynk&Co global head Alain Visser told Autocar. “When we come to the UK, it's probably going to be a full electric entry.”
Lynk&Co doesn’t currently have an EV model its line-up, even in China, where its range has expanded to six models. Four of them are available with plug-in hybrid powertrains.
“An EV is being planned,” a spokesman said without elaborating.
The European Lynk&Co 01 PHEV is based on Volvo’s CMA platform, as used by the Volvo XC40, meaning a Chinese EV could be based on the same adapted platform as the Volvo XC40 Recharge and related Volvo C40 Recharge. The CMA platform is also used by the Polestar 2 electric saloon.
Lynk&Co would also bring its subscription sales model to the UK, whereby owners pay a flat all-inclusive monthly fee and sign up for as little as a month at a time.
The 01 PHEV is available for €550 (£470) per month in Europe and offers just two colour choices: blue or black.
The UK-bound EV will follow Lynk&Co’s European strategy of sticking to smaller vehicles, rather than expanding into bigger segments, as it has in China.
“We see that our customers want compact vehicles that are small enough for the city and big enough for a small family,” Visser said. “It will be something in that customer profile.”
Earlier in June, Lynk&Co showed an extravagant concept for a coupé-styled hybrid car featuring scissor doors and claimed autonomous capabilities, demonstrating at least a more cutting-edge design in the future, if not a model suitable for Europe.
Lynk&Co customers can also rent out their cars via the company app in the manner of Airbnb. Visser said around 20% of customers in Europe rent their cars, without giving a utilisation figure.
Lynk&Co was China’s 24th best-selling brand in the first five months of the year, according to sales aggregator Best Selling Cars Blog. Sales were down 40% in a market down 22%.
The 03 saloon, on which Lynk&Co has based its World Touring Car Championship racer, was its best-seller.