lynk & co unveils 02, an electric car that owners can share with other drivers using a hot key

Lynk & co marks entrance into battery electric car with 02

For the first time, Lynk & Co enters the battery electric world with the 02, a car that owners can share with their friends, families, and the Lynk & Co community using a hot or physical key inside the cabin. The global launch took place on October 11th, 2024, in Milan at Spazio Antologico, where the Chinese-Swedish automobile brand unveiled the real-life model of its pilot all-electric car. The 02 model also marks the brand’s entrance into the electric vehicle market in Europe, and after the launch, the electric car is available across the continent with prices starting from 35,495 EUR.

all images courtesy of Lynk & Co

Customers contribute to the design process of electric car 02

One of the reasons Lynk & Co has managed to bring its electric car, the 02, to life is because of its 01 model’s customers. They were involved in the development and design process using the in-car apps in the 01 car, which allowed them to provide feedback to the automobile brand. Lynk & Co reviewed these messages, which contained some of the desired features the owners wanted to see in the upcoming model. Lo and behold, they’re here, within and around the 02 electric car.

Modern design and technology are at the forefront of Lynk & Co’s recent model, thanks to customer feedback as well. The first feature is keyless entry. The driver has a remote key that lets the 02 unlock when they grab the door handle, and when they leave the vehicle, the electric car locks itself. In line with this, the digital key also allows for car sharing. In fact, the driver can make their electric vehicle available for public sharing use for a selected period of time using the ‘share’ function on the dedicated car app.

panoramic tinted glass roof for the recent Lynk & Co electric car, 02

Lynk & co’s app can control the electric vehicle

Speaking of ‘car sharing,’ the electric car 02 has a hotkey in the cabin that, when pulled, automatically takes the driver to the sharing app on the vehicle’s large central display screen. From there, they can start sharing their vehicle with others. Inside the vehicle, there’s an aircraft-inspired oval steering wheel for the driver, equipped with a camera for Face ID functionality. This allows the driver to log into their Lynk & Co account to access their personal infotainment on the dashboard’s display screen without needing to type.

When the driver downloads the car’s app, they can also use it as a remote to control the vehicle’s pre-conditioning, security, door locks, and more. Through their smartphone, they can use voice recognition, and the app follows commands to activate various functions within the electric car, be it infotainment, navigation, or climate control. Lynk & Co also places smart storage for users inside the vehicle. It’s a removable module with distinct compartments found between the front seats. Made from clear and tinted material, the space offers up to 15 liters of storage.

the electric car 02 has a hotkey in the cabin that, when pulled, automatically takes the driver to the sharing app

At the front of the vehicle, the headlights appear as grille-style, the signature LED headlamps of Lynk & Co. They project animations like ‘welcome’ and ‘goodbye.’ On the side, the owners can find the electric charging hatch, and once it’s popped open, they see the message ‘We’ve got the power,’ a fun touch suggested by customers during feedback sessions. The design team also adds the message ‘Nope, No Engine Here’ when the hood of the car is lifted.

A traditional horn sound becomes optional with the electric car 02 because Lynk & Co replaces it with ‘Hey Honk.’ This customizable vehicle sound allows the driver to set the audio or recording that pedestrians and other road users will hear when the horn is bumped. The entire car is 5G-ready, and inside, there are dual wireless chargers for smartphones. The cockpit system is also digital, developed by ECARX and powered by the third-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155p SoC. Inside, users may want to activate the Infinity Light.

at the front of the vehicle, the headlights appear as grille-style

This feature creates an endless tunnel of light effect, and users can choose from four different mood settings: Fireworks, West Coast, Moonlight Love, and Neo City. Lynk & Co hopes the lighting effect makes driving more ambient. Based on customer feedback, the electric car 02 also has remote air conditioning and a Journey Camera. The camera, installed in the rear-view mirror, can be used for parking as well as for taking selfies and group photos that can be saved and uploaded to cloud storage.

The cabin also features a two-layer instrument panel, pushed forward to give the interior a more spacious feel. The flowing line on top of the panel resembles an aircraft wing, which complements the aircraft-inspired steering wheel. Lynk & Co offers two themes for the electric car 02. The first is the ‘Downtown Vibe’ theme, featuring Black Ocean and Stone Grey colors, accented by lime-yellow highlights. The second, the core model, is called ‘The Club’ and uses recycled materials with Ocean Black and Urban Blue colors, highlighted by vibrant orange accents.

when the driver leaves the vehicle, the electric car locks itself

Front and rear sensors and cameras surround Lynk & Co’s latest model, providing 21 integrated active and passive safety features. These systems include traffic alert, evasive maneuver assist, lane change assist, rear collision warning, intelligent cruise control, and more. The 02 model also boasts a 66kWh NMC lithium-ion battery, which provides up to 445 kilometers of zero-emission driving on a single charge.

Lynk & Co says the car can recharge from 10% to 80% in just 30 minutes using a 150-kilowatt DC charger. As of this publication, the electric car 02 is available in Europe with a starting price of 35,495 EUR. Owners can also upgrade their vehicles by adding a 22kW onboard charger, Harman Kardon speakers, 20-inch wheels, and a 360-degree camera, among other features, at additional cost.

the hotkey in the cabin that, when pulled, automatically takes the driver to the sharing app