Within the
Geely group, the brand positioned itself as a
startup-like company by introducing innovative sales models such as
direct-to-consumer sales model and
subscription model to market its vehicles.[5] Lynk & Co shares its technology such as engine and
platform with Volvo and Geely vehicles.[6] According to Geely designer
Peter Horbury, the intention was "to position it between Volvo and Geely as a so-called 'near premium' brand".[7]
History
The name Lynk & Co was coined from an internal code for the brand, "Lynk", which refers to
interconnected cars, while the "& Co" part was a meaningless moniker added to give the name a "young vibe".[6] Its full name was conceived from a casual conversation between executives in a
taxi, where they drew inspiration from fashion labels such as
Pull & Bear and
Abercrombie & Fitch to suit the global market. The brand name was formalised within just three days.[8] Initially, American automaker
Ford raised objections to the name due to its similarity to its luxury brand,
Lincoln.[9] Lynk & Co argued it was an unintentional coincidence, and Ford later withdrew its threat of legal action.[8]
The first product announced by Lynk & Co was the
01 crossover, the production version first shown at the 2017
Auto Shanghai show.[10] Production of the 01 started in China in 2017, in Volvo's production plant in
Luqiao district in the city of
Taizhou, China,[11][12] sharing the same production line as the
Volvo XC40 and the
Polestar.[13][14] Since then, Lynk & Co have used three other manufacturing plants. The 02, 02 Hatchback and 03 are manufactured at the
Zhangjiakou plant, while the 01, 06, 08 and 09 are manufactured at the
Meishan plant 50 km from
Ningbo.[15] The 05 and 07 is manufactured at
Geely's Luqiao CMA Super Factory.
A
concept version of the second model, the
03 sedan, was first shown along with the production 01 in Shanghai.[10][16] The third model, also based on the platform shared with the
Volvo XC40, is the
02. Smaller than the 01, it is a hatchback with a
crossover-like styling.[17][12] Lynk & Co had originally planned to launch the Lynk & Co 04 as a compact hatchback,[18] however, by 2020 it was cancelled and the nameplate was devoted to an
electric scooter instead.
In September 2020, at the
Beijing Auto Show, the Lynk & Co Zero concept was revealed to the public. It was expected to be the first fully electric vehicle from Lynk & Co, but instead it became the first model from the new electric vehicle brand,
Zeekr, as the
Zeekr 001.[19]
Headquarters
Lynk & Co has its headquarters near
Karlatornet in Gothenburg, Sweden.[20] In 2022, the headquarters building won architectural award for best interior design.[21][22]
Marketing
Lynk & Co uses a
direct-to-consumer sales model in most markets, in contrast to the traditional dealership model, and influenced by
Tesla which has had success doing direct sales.[23] Each car is ordered directly by the buyer and customized using equipment packages, either online or via a retail outlet.[24] Lynk & Co also offers a
vehicle subscription service to customers.[25]
The brand opened 221 retail outlets in China as of 2019, and expanded to Europe in 2020.[26] In China, Lynk & Co vehicles are distributed by Lynk & Co Auto Sales Co., Ltd.
Overseas markets
Lynk & Co plans to expand further to a of handful European countries.[27] The brand only offers electric and
plug-in hybrid models in Europe.[28] While the sales are steady in China, but the European business are making huge loss and in total for 2020-2021 the company made a loss of 1 billion
Swedish kronor, or about 100 million
euros.[29]
In Europe, Lynk & Co is only available in Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy. In 2024, Lynk & Co appointed automobile group SEEAG to expand their business in southeast Europe, starting with Romania and Greece, then followed by Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, and Moldova during 2024.[30][31]
In 2021, Geely announced that the Lynk & Co brand will enter Russia, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand by 2025.[32]
In May 2023, Lynk & Co entered Middle Eastern markets, starting with Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.[33][34]
Since 2017, Lynk & Co has been considering entering the US market, with plans to establish a San Francisco headquarters by 2020. However, progress has been minimal. In 2023, the company revealed plans to introduce its first
electric vehicle in the US by 2024, utilizing the subscription-based strategy that it already deployed in Europe.[35]
Since 2019, Lynk & Co has sponsored
Cyan Racing (formerly Polestar Racing) and entered the WTCR World Touring Car Cup (now the
TCR World Tour), becoming the first Chinese brand to take part in an
FIA championship. The team ran four Lynk & Co cars in the 2019 WTCR, claiming the teams' title and
Yvan Muller finishing third in the drivers' championship.[38]