Lynk Co 02

If the designers have done their job well, it is not immediately clear which cars are similar under the skin. Technically, the Lynk & Co 02 is similar to models from Volvo and Zeekr. When looking at the latter, the designers have failed, as the similarity between the Lynk & Co 02 and Zeekr X is great. However, these two Chinese-Swedish models do differ in price, so they still appeal to different buyers.

As compared to Volvo, Lynk & Co certainly does have its own style and character. Volvo traditionally targets families and therefore emphasises solidity and safety. Lynk & Co, on the other hand, wants to appeal to bon vivants and innovators who do not shun new brands, but even see them as an interesting new opportunity.

The 02 is midway between a crossover and a coupe, which also sets it apart from SUVs from unrelated brands. The headlights are high on the front, while the sharp lines add dynamism. Thanks to black lower bumpers and bumpers, the 02 appears less tall, which adds to the intended "crossover" look. The light blue colour looks good on the test vehicle and gives it a sporty character. Like many other electric cars, the 02 has flush door handles to improve streamlining. However, the test car had an odd problem: the door handles required a lot of force to unlock.

Space

The cabin is minimalist and modern, with a minimum of buttons and an emphasis on screens. Accents in fluorescent colours and bucket-shaped seats provide the promised sporty element. The materials and textures used give a sense of high quality.

The front seats are nice and big. Thereby, it is noticeable that the headrests do not just support the head, but even hug it, which is perceived as very pleasant. The space in the rear is adequate, yet children are less comfortable here. This is because the upward curve in the rear doors reduces visibility for them. Thereby, visibility is less for the driver when looking over the shoulder when changing lanes or leaving a roundabout.

The floor of the boot can be placed on two levels. With the load floor in the highest position, the lift threshold is zero, but the luggage space is limited. In the low position, much more luggage space is available, but must be lifted over a threshold. A small additional storage space ("frunk") can be found under the bonnet. This offers just enough space for charging cables, for example. Between the front seats is a centre tunnel that folds, folds and slides. This way, the storage space in the cabin can be adapted to the situation, which is very cleverly thought out.

Equipment

The 02 comes with all the luxury that can be expected for this price tag. The infotainment system is a case in point. It works well and easily, but the question is for how long. This is because it is based on a severely outdated version (11) of Android and so sooner or later applications will refuse service. Because Lynk & Co has built its own layer on top of Android, no Google account is required for the car to function, and that benefits privacy. Like many other car manufacturers, Lynk & Co also relies on the expertise of Harman / Kardon for the audio system. As this is a very popular supplier, the sound quality has been found to be average.

In terms of active safety, Lynk & Co misses the mark. The well-intentioned assistants are far too sharply tuned, sounding the alarm at every carelessness. Only when driving slowly on an empty road and the driver looks straight ahead will the system remain silent. In daily traffic, however, several warnings per minute sound, and this is so intense that it is not superfluous to put the psychiatrist under a hotkey on the phone to seek mental assistance after every drive. Switching off is possible, of course, but requires so many steps that it actually makes driving less safe. Adaptive cruise control does not work well with the driver. It is therefore all or nothing: drive the car entirely by yourself or hand everything over. Other car manufacturers are making these systems more accurate and/or providing more leeway, and Lynk & Co should follow suit soon through a software update.

With the first model, the 01, Lynk & Co bet heavily on car sharing and the same is true of the 02. Where a conventional car has the ignition lock, the 02 has a loop. Pulling on it launches an application that allows users to choose whether to drive themselves or rent the car. Until recently, Lynk & Co also provided insurance and handled payment. However, due to past abuse, these facilities have been frozen in most European countries for now.

Electric car

The Lynk & Co 02 is available in two versions, both of which operate off the same battery and electric motor. The battery has a 66 kWh capacity, which theoretically gives the car a range of 435 km (10 km more for the "More" version). The electric motor delivers a maximum of 272 hp / 323 Nm. With that, the 02 offers the lightning-fast acceleration typical of electric cars. Initially, the Chinese-Swedish manufacturer protects the driver from himself, but those who press the accelerator deeply and decisively can count on decisive and fast intermediate accelerations.

Via the display, single-pedal driving can be activated. In practice, however, this is just barely one-pedal driving as the car never comes to a complete stop when releasing the throttle. Pity. Nevertheless, the 02 recovers a lot of energy when braking on the engine and test consumption came out even lower than the factory specification: 16.3 kWh / 100 km in practice versus 17.1 kWh / 100 km according to the brochure. Unfortunately, the test car was too short a visit to the editorial office to test its maximum charge rate and actual range.

Driving behaviour

Lynk & Co claims to have adopted the chassis from Volvo without any changes. However, tyre choice here determines character. The "More"- version driven here is on Continental tyres in size 245/45R20. The combination of soft springs and low cheek tyres provides comfort, while steering feel is good. However, small ripples in the road surface are clearly felt and this sometimes makes the car unsettled. In town, an awkwardly large turning circle is noticeable. Moreover, on open asphalt, the tyres make themselves heard so clearly that this electric car is no quieter than a conventional internal combustion engine car. On smooth asphalt, the 02 is actually very quiet, as the sounds of the engine and driving wind are virtually inaudible.

Conclusion

Developing a new car is extremely expensive. However, modifying an existing car is easy, which is why several manufacturers choose to offer the same car under different (brand) names. For instance, Chinese-Swedish manufacturer "Lynk & Co" offers variants of Volvo cars. Lynk & Co turns a well-behaved family car into a quirky crossover.

When Lynk & Co just entered the market, prices were much lower than Volvo's. That is not the case this time around. The 02 therefore stands out only in terms of character. As in Lynk & Co's previous model, the 02 also features software to make car-sharing easy, but that functionality is frozen in until further notice. Therefore, the 02 does not stand out above mediocrity in any way.

That is not to say there is anything wrong with the 02. What determines its driving characteristics and price is the combination of battery and electric motor. Lynk & Co, courtesy of Volvo, has struck a fine balance between weight, dynamics, performance, range and price.