Europe-bound Lynk & Co 02 leaked before October launch

In China, details of the new Lynk & Co Z20 have prematurely leaked through the Ministry of Industry. The launch should be in Europe in October and in China at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November. This fully electric model is presumed to come to Europe as the Lynk & Co 02, as a second model next to the 01 PHEV.

As Geely is looking to its European partners for production capacity to avoid import taxes in the US and the EU, it wouldn’t be unimaginable that it could be built sometime in Belgium, next to the Volvo EX30.

Third sibling to Volvo EX30

All new models have to be officially presented and approved before launch. Entry into the Chinese ministry’s catalog is the last significant regulatory process by which a model can be sold in China, and the general public can submit its feedback between September 14th and 23rd.

This ‘Z20’ is a kind of third ‘sibling’ to Volvo’s successful compact EX30, next to the Zeekr X and the Smart #1, which all share mother company Geely’s SEA platform, whether or not in an adapted version.

It is likely to be called the Lynk & Co 02 in Europe but Z20 in China, as there is already a Lynk & Co 02 hatchback based on the CMA platform that has been sold in its home market since 2018. That one is a gasoline-powered version with two options: a 1.5-liter and a 2.0-liter engine. A PHEV version of the 02 was discontinued in 2021.

In July, Lynk & Co already revealed its first fully electric model, the Z10. That’s a five-meter-long luxury sedan with an electric range of over 800 km. Presented first in Gothenburg, Sweden, it now debuts in China, with prices starting at 202,800 yuan (€25,733) to 288,800 yuan (€46,646). But no word yet whether it would cross over to Europe.

Slightly bigger

According to Chinese media, which could access the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) patent documents, the Lynk & Co Z20 will be slightly bigger than the Volvo EX30 and the Zeekr X.

To compare, the Z20 measures 4,460, 1,845, and 1,573 mm (l/w/h), and has a wheelbase of 2,755 mm, while the EX30 is 4,233, 1,837, and 1,549 mm (l/w/h) and has a wheelbase of 2,650.

With its 4,432 mm length, the Zeekr is just 20 cm longer than the Swede. The difference in wheelbase is 100 mm, which usually translates into more interior space. The Smart #1, developed by Geely with Mercedes-Benz, is 4,270 mm in length, the shortest of the trio. The car’s design and digital environment are Mercedes-Benz-sourced.

200 kW of power

A few technical details about the new Lynk & Co Z20’s motors or battery have not been confirmed yet, except that it will be powered by a single 250 kW (335 hp) motor. According to MIIT data, it will probably get an LFP battery, while the Zeekr X has a 66 kWh NMC battery.

Today, the Zeekr X comes in two versions: a Long Range RWD version with a 200 kW (268 hp) engine and a more expensive Privilege AWD with a 315 kW (428 hp) dual motor. The first retails for €45,990 in the Netherlands, the other for €50,490.

To be built in Europe?

To start, Lynk & Co will be manufactured in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China plant. But Nicolas Appelgren, Europe CEO for Geely’s Lynk & Co, successor to Alain Visser, who was ousted at the end of last year, told European media the brand plans to build its next battery-electric car in Europe. He said Geely was scouting for locations across the region, adding there was no specific timeline yet.

Volvo announced in October last year its intention to build the EX30 at its Ghent factory. Assembly was projected to start in 2025, and the Ghent factory is ramping up to meet the deadline now. The Swedes want to avoid the high import taxes in the US on Chinese cars that will be effective from September 27th, as well as European taxes.

Belgian Geert Bruyneel, former boss of Volvo’s second-biggest factory in Ghent, became responsible for all Volvo factories worldwide and is now a close advisor to Volvo CEO Jim Rowan in Gothenburg. He told Belgian media that the factory in Ghent is the right size for the transition and confirms Volvo wants to start building the EX30 as soon as possible in Europe.

There is no word about the other Geely brands yet. However, building the Zeekr X and Lynk a Co 02 for Europe in Ghent should be technically possible. “We have factories in three continents: China, Europe, and the US,’ Bruyneel says about Volvo. “If we have to make a new car in Europe, we can do it,” he adds. Who knows, that might sound inviting for the Geely motherhouse too?