If you have ever wanted a Volvo EX30 with a coupe roofline, its sister company Lynk & Co has got your back. The latter just launched its latest electric vehicle (EV) that aims to further innovate the fading car-sharing sector in Europe, the Lynk & Co 02.
Wait, the 02, again? Confusingly, Lynk & Co has decided to name its latest crossover after another earlier model from 2018. But The Sino-Swedish carmaker says that the new 02 is their “first EV for the European market”, whereas the older model is neither an EV, nor available for sale in Europe. The newer EV model is also called the Z20 in China (only?), but for simplicity’s sake we’ll be calling it the 02 EV from here on out. Got it?
The 02 EV is a culmination of all the lessons the carmaker learnt from its 01 and has been improved, especially the car-sharing aspect. Leading the that agenda is a “sharing strap” next to the steering wheel, which when pulled will take the user to the app responsible for managing the car-sharing program.
As other carmakers have been phasing out their car-sharing programmes, Lynk & Co reports that about 30% of 01 owners share their crossovers in Europe. That stat has given them the confidence to continue with the programme.
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The new Lynk & Co 02 EV rides on the Geely Group’s SEA platform that also underpins the Zeekr X, Smart #1 and #3, and Volvo EX30. However, while all the other models that share the platform can be had in dual-motor, AWD layouts, the 02 will initially only be available in a single motor, RWD configuration with two trims; Core and More.
Similarly to its platform mates, the 02 will pack a 66 kWh Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) battery that is good for an estimated range (WLTP) of 434km on the Core and 444km on the More. The additional 10km in range is courtesy of an active grille and heat pump.
That sole motor in the rear will deliver 272 PS and 343 Nm of torque, good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.5 seconds. An 11 kW on-board charger in the Core allows it to be fully charged in 7.5 hours while an 22 kW unit in the More fills the battery in just 4.5 hours.
DC recharging is up to 150 kW and that will get the battery from 10-80% in approximately 30 minutes. Lastly, the 02 has V2L (vehicle-to-load) capabilities to power external electric devices.
Inside, the 02 has a customisable 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.4-inch central monitor for the infotainment and climate control as well as other vehicular functions. Drivers will be able to communicate directly with Lynk & Co while receiving OTA updates via 5G connectivity. One thing you will miss are physical buttons, as good as extinct here.
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As cars now mimic smartphones more and more, the 02 has functions such as facial recognition and a camera integrated into the rear-view mirror for selfies that also doubles up as a dashcam.
Drivers will also appreciate the introduction of a “hey honk,” a friendlier-sounding honk to interact with the car’s surroundings that will be less aggressive to other road users.
