Lynk & Co 08 PHEV with 200 km EV range to launch in Europe

Lynk & Co, the Chinese-Swedish brand now majority-owned by Geely’s daughter Zeekr, is launching the 08 plugin-hybrid compact SUV in selected European markets in June, a year and a half after its release in China. The company says this version will have a 200 km WLTP pure electric range, the first to accomplish that in the world of PHEVs.

The Lynk & Co 08 will be available in Europe in ‘select markets’ in two trim levels, Core and More. It will start at 52,995 euros and be available online via the brand’s clubs or dealers. Today, the brand is present in seven core markets: Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

The latest in the highly competitive SUV D-segment, the Lynk & Co 08, offers those who still suffer from range anxiety, which prevents them from switching to a full EV, a 1,100 km range in total with a full gasoline tank. And if that isn’t enough, DC fast charging is available to charge the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 33 minutes.

Nicolas López Appelgren, CEO of Lynk & Co International, emphasizes this in the announcement: “It’s a powerful, refined, and efficient SUV delivering exceptional driving experience. The 08 bridges the gap to full electric mobility with its extended electric range. ”

Third model in Europe

This Lynk & Co 08 will be the brand’s official third model in Europe, following the Lynk & Co 01 PHEV, which proved to be a big success due to its monthly subscription business model introduced by the then-CEO, the Belgian Alain Visser, and the entire electric Lynk & Co 02.

You can buy or lease the latter for a competitive price compared to its siblings, the Volvo EX30, Smart #1, or the Zeekr X, starting at €37,495,99. It can be shared with family, friends, or anybody in the neighborhood via the company’s platform, like the 01 PHEV.

The Lynk & Co 02 shares a 272 hp (200 kW) motor with its sister brands but gets a bigger (NMC) battery of 66 kWh, offering ranges of 435 km and 445 km, respectively. However, there are no subscription options for this one, so it’s expected that the 08 will be offered for sale or lease only.

The Lynk & Co 08 is 4.82 meters long and has a wheelbase of 2.85 meters. This makes it considerably longer than the 01, about thirty centimeters, although it uses the same CMA platform. To give you an idea of how big it is, the 01 was already 20 centimeters longer than its Volvo sibling, the XC40.

In China, Lynk & Co was already launched in September 2023 and is currently available in six variants, with starting prices ranging from 185,800 yuan (€24,392) to 248,800 yuan (€32,663). It’s only available as a PHEV with the 1.5 gasoline engine.

The three lower-priced variants have a 102 km WLTP battery range, two others offer up to 205 km pure electric range, and the highest-priced variant has a 185 km battery range.

There is a fourth Lynk & Co model in the pipeline, but it’s unclear whether it will be launched in Europe. It’s the even bigger, fully electric six-seater SUV ‘09’. It is Lynk & Co’s biggest model, 5.24 m long, 1.999 m wide, and 1.810 mm high. Meanwhile, the wheelbase is long, 3.160 m, allowing for three rows of seats. It goes on sale in March 2025 as a ‘global model.’

This one uses Geely’s SPA Evo platform for large electric hybrid vehicles of over five meters. This allows for an extensive battery and advanced features like rear-wheel steering. So far, no details are given about the battery size and the full-electric capacity of the PHEV.

The Lynk & Co 009 comes in three flavors: a base model with a 1.5T engine, a front motor with 160 kW, a rear motor with 230 kW (530 kW or 710 hp combined), and two models based on a 2.0-liter turbo (gasoline) engine.

The top version is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/hour in four seconds and offers many special features, such as CDC continuous damping control and functions such as a ‘waltz U-turn or crab mode.’

Lynk & Co is said to be a ‘global model.’ Still, its availability in Europe, prices, and eventual subscription options are unknown. With the EU imposing heavy tariffs on Chinese EVs, that could be postponed. First, the focus will be on Europe’s long-awaited fully electric Lynk & Co 02 and, apparently, the Lynk & Co 08 PHEV that joins in June.