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Lynk & Co's shareable cars launch outside of China in 2020
Volvo's sister brand Lynk & Co has made a fuss over its connected, shareable cars, but there's been a catch: they haven't been available outside of China. You might have a chance to buy one elsewhere, however. Alongside a peek at its new 02 crossover SUV (more on that in a bit), the fledgling auto badge has confirmed that it will start selling cars in Europe in 2020. As before, it's ditching conventional dealerships in favor of both its website and "Offline Stores" that are really boutiques. The first store will open in Amsterdam, with follow-ups due in Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels and London.
Lynk & Co unveils its second take on a shareable car
Lynk & Co might have only shown off its first tech-laden vehicle half a year ago, but it's already set for a follow-up... and then some. The Geely-owned brand has unveiled the 03 Concept, a sedan sibling to the 01 Concept crossover (which has also reached its production-ready form). While the design won't shock you -- it's really a lower-profile 01 -- this brings Lynk & Co's combination of technology and unique business models to a wider audience. The centerpiece remains a Microsoft/Alibaba-designed infotainment system with built-in car sharing support, which lets you lend your car to others through a smartphone app. However, there are also some new wrinkles in paying for Lynk & Co's cars that could be as important as the cars themselves.
Lynk & Co's EV is the first car with a dedicated app store
As a rule, automakers see software in a car as a means to an end. Even Tesla, as cutting edge as it may be, is only willing to give its code so much attention. However, China's Geely wants to see what happens when you put code at the forefront. It's launching a new Lynk & Co brand whose inaugural electric vehicle, the 01 compact SUV, is supposedly the most connected car to date. The centerpiece is an open software platform (built with help from Alibaba and Microsoft) that lets developers sink their teeth in -- it even has the first dedicated app store for cars, according to the company. Lynk & Co doesn't provide examples, but it's easy to see a streaming music service offering an app just for your 01, or custom navigation apps that go beyond the usual in-car GPS.
