Lynk & Co still plans to introduce plug-in cars in Europe next year, but the production will take place in China instead of Belgium.
Chinese brand Lynk & Co (part of Geely) backed away from its intention of launching plug-in car production for the European market using the Volvo facility in Ghent, Belgium.
The reason is reportedly high demand for the Volvo XC40 produced in Ghent, which leaves little production capacity for Lynk & Co’s CMA platform-based 01 compact crossover plug-in hybrid.
Lynk & Co however didn’t withdraw its plan to offer plug-in hybrid and all-electric models in Europe (there will be no conventional models). The production will simply be launched in China from Q2 2020.
Alain Visser the CEO of Lynk & Co, told Automotive News:
“The plan is still to start producing the vehicles for Europe in the second quarter of 2020. Not in Ghent [Volvo’s Belgium factory], but in China. That is the only thing that has changed. We decided to produce in China for the simple reason that the Volvo XC40 was doing so well that we couldn’t get the allocation in the [Belgian] factory that we think we need for Europe. We would have had the prospect of having two production plants, Ghent and China, which is a major confusion and cost complication. The rest of the plan is intact. We will open a store and launch in Amsterdam next year, then we will go step by step to other major cities.”
Interestingly, Lynk & Co plug-ins would like to offer its cars in the subscriptions model. The pricing isn’t yet known, but for sure not below €250 per month.
Source: Automotive News, electrive.com