Lynk & Co has released images of a dramatically-styled concept reportedly previewing its new plug-in hybrid system.
Cut to: The Next Day, a four-door coupe concept with an unusual name and a bevy of distinctive design elements.
Lynk & Co hasn’t released much in the way of information on the concept just yet, but it’ll feature an “intelligent electric hybrid” – or plug-in hybrid – powertrain called E-Motive.
Car News China reports there’s a choice of three battery sizes with 60, 100, and 150km of pure electric range on the WLTP test cycle, respectively.
The Next Day also reportedly uses a three-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission with launch mode capability, and offers a 0-100km/h time of as little as under five seconds.
A shot of the interior shows an electric range readout of 200km, however it remains to be seen whether the production E-Motive powertrain’s range will be quite so lengthy.
For reference, the Lynk & Co 01 has a claimed WLTP electric-only range of 69km.
Like the 01 crossover, the new E-Motive powertrain will reportedly continue to use a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine.
Fledgling Lynk & Co currently offers both hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. It previewed an electric concept car in 2020, the Zero, but this reached production the following year as the 001 under the even newer Zeekr brand.
While there are a couple of familiar Lynk & Co design elements, like the vertically-oriented lighting on the fenders, The Next Day otherwise looks nothing like the brand’s sensible sedans, hatches and crossovers.
It’s a sleek four-door grand tourer in a similar vein to the Audi e-tron GT or the upcoming Polestar 5, with aggressive haunches and flowing lines punctuated with sharp creases.
Down back, there’s a narrow full-width tail light assembly, with two vertical elements on each side like a pair of inverted commas.
There are of course the wild details expected of a concept car, like four butterfly doors, with the rearmost ones hinged at the rear.
It’s also finished in paint work that transitions from a pale gold up front to a cool blue at the rear, with gold elements at the base of the front and rear bumpers and along the side skirts.
Inside, there’s a minimalist cabin with seats swathed in blue velvet-look upholstery, a wide centre touchscreen, and a steering yoke.
While The Next Day mightn’t preview a production vehicle, its powertrain may be used by next-generation Lynk & Co products.
Lynk & Co will reportedly only sell electrified vehicles after 2025, and the same year it plans to enter Australia.
In 2024, it plans to start driving vehicles off the Busan, Korea production line of Renault Korea Motors (RKM), of which Geely bought a 34.02 per cent stake earlier this year.
Beyond shoring up its Korean market presence, the deal will give Geely a way to export cars to the US without attracting tariffs thanks to the free trade agreement between South Korea and the US.
Earlier this year, Renault announced it’d begin manufacturing cars – possibly Lynk & Co models – based on Geely’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) in Korea.
These new cars will use hybrid drivetrains and internal-combustion engines (ICE) designed by Geely.
CMA was developed by Geely subsidiary Volvo, and the architecture underpins the XC40, Polestar 2, and various vehicles from the Geely, Lynk & Co and Zeeker brands.
While these Korean-built cars will initially be designed for the South Korean market, RKM said at the time it would allow for their export in the future.
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With the latest announcement, it has said export market opportunities are currently being explored.
Last year the two automakers said they were looking to build localised versions of Lynk & Co models in South Korea.
Lynk & Co was founded by its parent company, Geely, in 2016.
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, better known as Geely, currently counts brands such as Volvo, Polestar, Proton, Lotus, London EV Company, Smart, and Lynk & Co, among others, in its portfolio.
