Plug-in hybrid from Volvo’s Chinese language cousin goes additional on a cost

Geely’s Lynk & Co brand is set to release a more efficient plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its coupe crossover, the 05.

The images, published across Chinese media including Car News China, depict the new Lynk & Co 05 EM-P PHEV ahead of its expected launch in March.

The new Lynk & Co 05 will adopt the Lynk E-Motive hybrid powertrain that was unveiled with The Next Day GT concept car last year.

The PHEV powertrain consists of a 1.5-litre turbo engine with 110kW of power, mated with an electric motor and a nickel-cobalt-manganese ternary lithium-ion battery pack.

According to Car News China, the E-Motive EM-P powertrain will support a range of variants providing a pure electric range of 60km and 100km, and all-wheel-drive variants with 150km and 180km of range – although it’s possible these are on the more lenient WLTC test cycle.

It doesn’t appear to feature any design changes from the regular 05, with split-level lighting remains up front, as do the chunky, matrix-style tail lights down back.

The 05 measures 4614mm long, 1879mm wide, 1628mm tall, and rides a 2734mm wheelbase, or 174mm longer than the Volvo C40 with which it shares its Compact Modular Architecture (CMA).

This architecture supports combustion power, as well as hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains, though while Lynk & Co has multiple hybrid and plug-in hybrid models it has yet to release a full EV.

It previewed an EV with the Zero concept, but this ended up being launched under the new Zeekr brand.

Founded in 2016 by its parent company Geely, Lynk & Co began as a China-only brand with its first model, the 01 small SUV.

Other models in Lynk & Co’s Chinese lineup include the small 02 and 03 hatchback and sedan, 06 small crossover, and 09 large crossover.

The 05 was revealed in 2019 as a coupe SUV counterpart to the 01, the only model offered in Europe.

Customers there can acquire a 01 through Geely’s subscription sales model, where owners can sign up for as little as a month at a time and pay a fixed monthly fee that includes all expenses.

Geely has previously indicated it wants to bring the Lynk & Co brand to Australia before 2025. It won’t be the first time the Chinese automaker has attempted to introduce one of its Chinese brands to Australia.

Beyond the Volvo, Lotus, and Polestar brands, all of which fall under the Geely corporate umbrella, the Chinese automaker briefly entered the Australian market with its namesake brand.

It sold the MK hatch and sedan in Western Australia from 2009 to 2014, however the lack of electronic stability control prevented further expansion of the model and brand.

Geely recently bought a 34.02 per cent stake of Renault Korea Motors (RKM), and it plans to start producing vehicles, possibly Lynk & Co models, from the Korean production line from 2024.

This will aid Geely’s global expansion, particularly in the US thanks to the free-trade agreement between South Korea and the US meaning it can avoid tariffs associated with Chinese exports.

Geely’s sustainability goals include reducing its total emissions by 25 per cent in 2025, and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.