Lynk & Co 01
Specs, engines and history
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By Felix Hartmann, Automotive Technology & EV Contributor
- Built
- 2017–present
- Top power
- 187 kW (254 PS)
Which 01 to choose and its rivals
Our verdict · Felix Hartmann
In Europe the choice is effectively the plug-in hybrid. It makes most sense for drivers who can charge at home and cover short daily distances on electricity; on long motorway trips the three-cylinder engine does most of the work. Since March 2026 Volvo Cars has been the exclusive importer of the brand in Europe, so it is worth asking a Volvo dealer about current terms.
The closest relative is the Volvo XC40, built on the same platform with many of the same parts. Among other compact SUVs with a plug-in option, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was an early example of the type. Ratios between output and weight can be checked with the power-to-weight calculator.
The Lynk & Co 01 is a compact SUV that went on sale in China on 4 August 2017 and reached Europe as a plug-in hybrid offered by monthly subscription. It shares the CMA platform, engines and electrical architecture with the Volvo XC40, and it was the brand's first model. The range covers petrol engines up to 160 kW, a self-charging hybrid and the European plug-in hybrid with a combined output of up to 192 kW.
Lynk & Co was founded on 20 October 2016 as a joint venture of Volvo Cars, Geely Auto and Geely Holding, with headquarters in Hangzhou and a European base in Gothenburg. It sells mostly direct to customers and is known for its subscription model, under which a car is paid for monthly with insurance and servicing included. In November 2024 Zeekr raised its stake to 51 %, and in March 2026 Volvo Cars became the exclusive importer of Lynk & Co in Europe. The brand sold 350,495 cars in 2025.
Specs by version
Verified Manufacturer and type-approval data from our catalog · Sources and methodology
In short
- Built since 2017, first by Volvo in Luqiao on the line shared with the XC40 and Polestar, later at Lynk & Co's Meishan plant near Ningbo.
- European plug-in hybrid: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo with 132 kW (180 PS) plus a 60 kW electric motor; electric range 69 km, 75 km after the 2024 update.
- Euro NCAP 2021: five stars, with 96 % for adult occupants.
- In Europe sold by subscription: from €550 a month in 2020, €600 a month for the PHEV in 2024.
Lynk & Co 01 at a glance
| Parameter | Lynk & Co 01 |
|---|---|
| Production | since 2017; Luqiao (Taizhou), later Meishan near Ningbo (Zhejiang, China) |
| Platform | CMA (Compact Modular Architecture), developed by CEVT; shared with the Volvo XC40 |
| Body | five-door compact SUV |
| Length | 4,512 mm (infobox) or 4,530 mm (article text) |
| Width / height / wheelbase | 1,857 / 1,673 / 2,734 mm |
| Petrol engine | 2.0-litre B4204T30 turbo, 160 kW (218 PS), eight-speed automatic |
| Hybrids | 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo with electric motor: HEV 145 kW, PHEV 192 kW combined |
| PHEV battery | 9 kWh (Wikipedia EN) |
| Kerb weight | 1,750 kg |
| Designers | Peter Horbury and Eric Leong; facelift by Alex Saito |
Development: a Volvo-based car for a new brand
The 01 was developed under the code name Geely CX11 and shown online in October 2016, at the same time as the brand itself. Its technical base came from the CMA platform, which the Gothenburg-based engineering centre CEVT developed for the Geely group and Volvo. The car therefore shares electrical architecture, engines and safety systems with the Volvo XC40. At first Volvo even built the 01 in its Luqiao plant, on the same line as the XC40 and the Polestar models.
Sales in China started on 4 August 2017 at the Guangzhou show, and the plug-in hybrid followed on 7 July 2018. Production later moved to Lynk & Co's own plant on Meishan island, about 50 km from Ningbo. The background of the parent company is told in the history of Geely.
Engines and hybrid systems
| Version | Engine | Electric motor | System output | Gearbox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 T (B4204T30) | 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, 160 kW (218 PS) | — | 160 kW (218 PS) | eight-speed automatic, front-wheel drive |
| HEV (from 2019) | 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo | yes | 145 kW (197 PS) | — |
| PHEV (Europe) | 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo, 132 kW (180 PS) | 60 kW (82 PS) | 192 kW (261 PS) | — |
The 2.0-litre is the Volvo Drive-E T4 engine; the catalogue version above is the one sold with an eight-speed automatic in markets such as Kuwait. German Wikipedia also lists a 140 kW (190 PS) 2.0-litre with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and gives 210 km/h for the 2.0-litre with optional all-wheel drive.
The plug-in hybrid is the version Europe knows. Wikipedia EN gives a 9 kWh battery and up to 70 km of WLTP electric range; German Wikipedia gives 69 km, rising to 75 km after the autumn 2024 update. The original PHEV of 2018 was rated at 51 km. Like every plug-in hybrid, its low official fuel figure of 1.1 l/100 km depends on regular charging.
In China a second generation of hybrids arrived in June 2022 as the EM-F (hybrid) and EM-P (plug-in), using Geely's Hi-X system with a three-speed hybrid gearbox, the DHT Pro. Its 1.5-litre engine has a peak thermal efficiency of 43.32 %.
Europe: subscription instead of a dealer
The European launch is dated to spring 2021 by Wikipedia EN, while German Wikipedia says the hybrid versions were offered from 2020, when a revised 01 was presented in October. Either way, the 01 arrived with a new idea: instead of a sale, customers took a monthly membership. German Wikipedia gives €550 a month in 2020, including insurance and maintenance. In 2024 the PHEV cost €600 a month with service, insurance and vehicle tax included, plus a €200 registration fee, with 1,250 km a month allowed, 20 cents per extra kilometre and no minimum term.
Lynk & Co's European markets are Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France and Italy, and in 2024 SEEAG was appointed to expand into Romania and Greece. Germany registered 6,622 cars in 2022, 96 % of them PHEVs; in 2024 registrations fell almost to zero.
Facelifts
The 01 was facelifted for the 2021 model year, at the time of the European launch, and again for the 2022 model year, when Wikipedia EN says hybrid versions were added. A further facelift was announced in November 2024. Alex Saito is credited with the design of the facelift.
Safety: Euro NCAP and Green NCAP
Euro NCAP tested the 01 1.5 HEV in 2021 and awarded five stars. It scored 96 % for adult occupants, 87 % for children, 71 % for vulnerable road users and 81 % for safety assist. The pedestrian result is the weakest of the four. In China, C-NCAP gave it 5.5 stars. In the separate Green NCAP environmental test of 2022, the 01 received three and a half stars.
Photo gallery
Lynk & Co 01 in our rankings
- No. 436 of 912 · Longest-running car nameplates (9 years · top 49%)
- No. 180 of 312 · Most powerful cars of the 2010s (160 kW · top 59%)
- No. 118 of 197 · Most powerful SUVs and crossovers (187 kW · top 60%)
- No. 511 of 859 · Most powerful cars (187 kW · top 60%)
- No. 175 of 305 · Oldest car models still on sale (9 years · top 60%)
In production longer than 51% of ranked nameplates in the 1CARS catalog (No. 436 of 912).
FAQ
Is the Lynk & Co 01 a Volvo?
Not by badge, but it uses the Volvo XC40's CMA platform, engines, electrical architecture and safety systems, and Volvo built it at first in Luqiao.
What is the electric range of the Lynk & Co 01 PHEV?
German Wikipedia gives 69 km, and 75 km after the autumn 2024 update; Wikipedia EN gives up to 70 km on the WLTP cycle.
How can you buy a Lynk & Co 01 in Europe?
Mostly by subscription: €550 a month in 2020 and €600 a month for the PHEV in 2024, including insurance and servicing. Since March 2026 Volvo Cars is the exclusive importer.
How safe is the Lynk & Co 01?
Euro NCAP gave it five stars in 2021, with 96 % for adult occupants and 87 % for children.
Where is the Lynk & Co 01 built?
In China: first at Volvo's Luqiao plant, later at Lynk & Co's Meishan plant near Ningbo.
Data sources
Data checked by an editor against the sources below.
