Lynk & Co aims to make a comeback with pure electric vehicles

Author | Wang Xiaojuan

Editor | Zheng Qiao

The SUV market in the second half of this year is particularly lively, with multiple SUV models attacking the Tesla Model Y in the mid-size SUV segment.

Lynk & Co, on the other hand, has chosen the less competitive compact SUV market to re-enter the pure electric vehicle segment. In September this year, Lynk & Co's first pure electric model, the Z10, was launched, but due to factors such as pricing, sales have not been very optimistic.

This time, Lynk & Co has decided to bring a more competitive Z20 with better aesthetics, pricing, and configuration back into the pure electric market.

On December 22, Lynk & Co Z20, the brand's first pure electric SUV, was officially launched in Shanghai. Like many models in the current industry, the Lynk & Co Z20 SKU is relatively simple, with many features being standard across the entire range, mainly divided into three versions based on different drive forms. Among them, the 530km rear-wheel drive Pro version is priced at 135,900 yuan, the 530km rear-wheel drive Max version at 145,900 yuan, and the 530km rear-wheel drive Max Zhuri version at 150,900 yuan.

As early as October, this car had already completed its global debut and European launch in Milan, Italy, priced at 35,495 euros (approximately 270,000 yuan at real-time exchange rates), while the domestic version is priced more affordably.

In re-entering the pure electric market, Lynk & Co clearly wants to make the Z20 more competitive.

First is the relatively core technology aspect. This car is the first mass-produced single-motor rear-wheel drive 250kW product in the same class of Geely Group, allowing the front and rear wheels to perform their respective functions. The front wheels focus on steering, while the rear wheels are responsible for driving, enabling all four wheels to bear greater loads and torque; in terms of batteries, it is equipped with a 61.47 kWh lithium iron phosphate "Lynk & Co high-performance power brick" battery.

Many of these are cutting-edge technologies from Geely in the pure electric field, and the incorporation of new technologies also provides more guarantees for the vehicle's driving control and safety.

In the area of intelligence, which users are generally concerned about, the Lynk & Co Z20 also showcases several highlights.

In terms of intelligent driving, this car integrates 22 intelligent perception hardware components, including one 1.7 million pixel forward high-definition camera, four millimeter-wave corner radars, one millimeter-wave forward radar, twelve ultrasonic sensors, and four 360-degree surround view cameras. Although it does not have advanced intelligent driving, it can achieve 23 L2-level intelligent driving assistance functions, including ICC.

For the frequently used intelligent parking assistance function, this car also includes it as standard, supporting automatic parking inside the vehicle and remote parking via mobile phone.

In addition, the Lynk & Co Z20 is equipped with an L2+ intelligent driving assistance system, standard with more than 20 active safety features, including DOW - Door Opening Warning, FCTA/RCTA - Front and Rear Collision Prevention, EMA - Active Safety Obstacle Avoidance, and other active safety configurations.

In terms of the intelligent cockpit, the Z20 is equipped with the LYNK Flyme Auto vehicle machine system. In terms of hardware configuration, this system is built with an 8-core CPU, with computing power reaching 100K-DIMPS, and is also equipped with the next-generation Yika Tong·Antora® 1000 Plus computing platform and the new generation 7nm automotive-grade SoC "Long Ying No. 1 Plus" chip, making the overall vehicle machine experience smoother Although it is a compact SUV, this car is also striving to improve its usable space.

This car features an ultra-long wheelbase of 2755mm, resulting in an interior area of 4.03m², achieving the highest space utilization rate in its class. At the same time, the Lynk & Co Z20 offers diverse storage space, which can be expanded up to 450L; with the rear seats folded down, it can provide an impressive 1410L of space.

In the front row, the Lynk & Co Z20's innovative versatile island design allows the center island to transform into a refrigerator, cooler, storage room, etc., with a total of 36 storage spaces throughout the vehicle.

In terms of energy replenishment, Lynk & Co, which has now merged with ZEEKR, clearly has an advantage, fully leveraging ZEEKR's supercharging energy replenishment system. Additionally, in terms of replenishment speed, the Lynk & Co Z20 features 4.5C fast charging technology, allowing the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in just 15 minutes, increasing the range by over 370 km.

For example, if the daily one-way commute is 30 kilometers, charging once can meet the commuting needs for five working days a week, greatly alleviating daily usage pain points.

Finally, a hot topic in the industry this year is creating cars for young people based on aesthetics. The Lynk & Co Z20 particularly emphasizes its appearance; although aesthetics are relatively subjective, many consumers are already discussing the car's exterior on social media, indicating that at least it is a new car that is visually appealing.

Currently, players in the industry are not limited to one or two types of energy forms but are entering a mixed battle of various energy forms. In Lynk & Co's layout, it now encompasses fuel, hybrid, and pure electric, walking on three legs.

This year, Lynk & Co has continuously broken sales records, with its monthly sales reaching 32,679 units in November, making it one of the brands with rapid growth this year. Among them, Lynk & Co's new energy models sold over 20,000 units per month, accounting for over 61%. However, due to the average performance of the Z10, its contribution from pure electric sales has been limited.

In the future, with the addition of the Lynk & Co Z20 to the sales contribution lineup, Lynk & Co's sales are expected to reach a new level