Lynk & Co: Geely and Volvo's CMA brand, from the 01 to Zeekr

Lynk & Co at a glance

Geely, Volvo and the CMA platform

Development of the platform began in 2013 at China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT), a Swedish subsidiary of Geely. The result, the Compact Modular Architecture, was shared between Geely's brands and Volvo. It underpins the Volvo XC40, C40 and XC70, the Polestar 2 and several Geely models, as well as most Lynk & Co cars.

Lynk & Co was founded on 20 October 2016 and launched with three models planned on CMA. The ownership was fixed in August 2017, when Geely Auto, Volvo Cars and Zhejiang Geely Holding signed the joint venture agreement. Geely Auto took 50 per cent, Volvo 30 per cent and Geely Holding 20 per cent.

The 01 and the first years, 2017–2019

The 01 was first revealed online in October 2016, and the production version was shown at Auto Shanghai in 2017. It went on sale in China on 4 August 2017 and was the first car on the CMA platform, released the same year as the Volvo XC40. Production began at the Luqiao plant in Taizhou and later moved to the Meishan island plant near Ningbo.

The plug-in hybrid version pairs a 132 kW (179 PS) petrol engine with a 60 kW electric motor and a 9 kWh battery, for a combined 192 kW (261 PS). In the 2021 Euro NCAP test of the 1.5 hybrid, the 01 scored 96 per cent for adult occupants. In China's C-NCAP it received 5.5 stars.

The range grew quickly. The 02 and its saloon version, the 03, arrived in 2018 and were built at Zhangjiakou. The 03 debuted at the Chengdu Auto Show in September 2018 with 1.5- and 2.0-litre turbocharged engines. The 05 followed in 2019. Sales were 6,012 in 2017, 120,414 in 2018 and 128,066 in 2019.

Racing: the 03 TCR and Cyan Racing

In 2019 Lynk & Co sponsored the team that became Cyan Racing and entered the World Touring Car Cup with four 03 cars built to TCR rules. The drivers were Thed Björk, Yann Ehrlacher, Yvan Muller and Andy Priaulx. The team won the 2019 teams' title, and Muller finished third in the drivers' championship.

Road cars took the name too. The 03+ of June 2019 had a 2.0-litre turbo with 189 kW (257 PS) and 350 Nm. The 03+ Cyan Edition of August 2021 added all-wheel drive, an eight-speed automatic and 195 kW (265 PS), reaching 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. In November 2020 Ma Qing Hua secured the drivers' title of the TCR China Touring Car Championship in a Lynk & Co.

Europe, new models and Zeekr, 2020–2025

In 2020 the brand expanded to Europe, and the 06 SUV was added at home. The Lynk & Co Zero concept, shown at the Beijing Auto Show in September 2020, later became the Zeekr 001, the first model of Geely's new premium electric brand. The 09 came in 2021, the 08 in 2023, and the 07, Z10 and Z20 in 2024.

The brand entered Middle Eastern markets in May 2023 and the Philippines in March 2024. In January 2024 Nicolas Lopez Appelgren became chief executive of Lynk & Co Europe.

In November 2024 Zeekr agreed to buy Volvo Cars' 30 per cent for 5.4 billion yuan and 20 per cent from Geely Auto for 3.6 billion yuan. After the deals closed on 14 February 2025, Lynk & Co became a subsidiary brand of Zeekr, which held 51 per cent, while Geely Auto kept 49 per cent. In July 2025 Geely Auto signed a merger agreement to take Zeekr fully private, completed in December 2025. In March 2026 Volvo Cars became the exclusive importer of Lynk & Co cars in Europe.

The Lynk & Co models on 1cars are in the Lynk & Co catalogue, and the first model has its own page on the Lynk & Co 01 plug-in hybrid SUV. Its Swedish platform twin is the Volvo XC40, and the parent company is covered in the history of Geely. The car that grew out of the Zero concept is the Zeekr 001. For rivals, see the best plug-in hybrid SUVs.

Lynk & Co timeline

Landmark Lynk & Co models

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