China's Lynk & CO to Build Cars for Europe in Belgium

Lynk & Co, the Geely-owned automaker looking to break into Europe and North America, will produce its first vehicle at Volvo’s plant in Ghent, Belgium starting in 2019.

Lynk & Co’s first model, the 01 crossover, shares a Compact Modular Architecture with the new Volvo XC40 crossover. That means the two vehicles are able to be built on the same line at the Belgian plant. The 01 went on sale in China last year following a debut in late 2016 and is offered with Volvo sourced 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter engines. Lynk & Co vehicles for China are produced at its Luqioa, China plant, which builds XC40s for local consumption as well.

According to Automotive News, the Lynk & Co 01 for Europe will be available from launch with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The plug-in powertrain should be the same as the one expected to be found in the upcoming XC40 plug-in – a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engine paired with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.

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The automaker hopes to build and sell the 01 crossover, along with its upcoming 02 and 03 vehicles, in the US eventually as well. Volvo currently operates a plant in Ridgeville, South Carolina, but it has no plans to add the o1 crossover to the line at this time, it told AN in a statement.

Geely boss Li Shufu hopes to turn Lynk & Co into a global automotive force with a presence in the three largest car buying markets: Europe, China and North America. The automaker is targeting young people with its vehicles and sells its cars through non-traditional sales models, such as online and through brick-and-mortar retail storefronts. In China, the 01 also comes with a subscription fee, which can give users access to an always-on internet connection and the dedicated in-car app store.

[Source: Automotive News Europe]