Lynk and Co could come to Australia after all
Zeekr won’t be rebadging Lynk & Co models after all, meaning the hybrid-focussed brand could launch hereThe News
Lynk & Co could launch in Australia in the medium- or long-term after all. Parent brand Zeekr last year considered rebadging certain Lynk & Co hybrids for Australia, but CEO Mars Chen has now confirmed that plan has been cancelled.
The Key Details
- Lynk & Co is not in Geely’s short-term Aussie plans, could still land here
- Zeekr mooted rebadging some Lynk & Co models
- Globally, Lynk & Co has been told to focus on small and mid-sized hybrids
- Zeekr will stay focussed on EVs and higher-end large models
The Finer Details
“That was the plan in that moment, but now, once we have the [8X and 9X], I think that would make less and less sense,” Chen told carsales in Hangzhou.
“When we had the [internal] merger between Zeekr and Lynk & Co, the idea was very clear.
“Zeekr will [not] do small to medium-sized hybrid cars, and Lynk & Co will not enter the high-end electric vehicle [segment] ... it is kind of overlapping, but without huge conflict.”
That viewpoint positions Lynk & Co as a potential middle brand between mainstream Geely and luxury-sports specialist Zeekr.
“We are Zeekr. We are the high-end. It is like Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen. We are Porsche, of course,” Chen said.
That would make Lynk & Co the ‘Audi’ in that analogy: a more style-led, tech-forward brand with a remit to focus on more attainable hybrids, especially in the small and mid-size SUV classes.
Timing of any Australian launch is unclear. According to Chen, Lynk & Co is not in the immediate Australian plan, citing right-hand drive complexity and strict homologation requirements.
“The first thing is that we must create Zeekr and Geely to be more powerful in the Australian market – that is our short-term mission,” he said.
The Road Ahead
If Lynk & Co models come to Australia, they will do so in their own right and not disguised as Zeekrs.
Potential Australian candidates could include the Lynk & Co 08; a mid-size plug-in hybrid alternative to the Zeekr 7X.
Given Zeekr has ruled out developing a hybrid version of the popular 7X, the 08 would fill a valuable niche.
Other possibilities could include the Lynk & Co 02; a compact electric SUV sold in Europe, and possibly the new 10 EM-P; a PHEV sedan that’s far sportier than the incoming Geely Emgrand.
The larger Lynk & Co 900, once a top candidate under the ill-fated Zeekr rebadging plan, now appears less likely as the Zeekr 8X covers off the same territory.
Related: 2025 Lynk & Co 02 unwrapped
Related: Lynk & Co confirmed for Australia
Related: Lynk & Co ruled out for Oz until at least 2028
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