Geely subsidary Lynk & Co shows off the 01 SUV

The inception of a new brand into the car market is a tricky affair. But a new subsidiary of China’s Geely Motors, called Lynk & Co has decided to step in with one of the most technologically advanced cars ever. As of now, software is only used as a basic component in a car. But Lynk & Co is looking to change that with their first car, the 01 electric compact SUV, which uses software as the backbone of the design to create supposedly the most connected car ever built.

The 01 looks more like a geekier version of the Kia Sportage. It is built on a modular platform shared with Volvo. This platform enables the usage of various power plants including petrol, electric and hybrid units. But the peculiarity of the 01 is not its mechanicals. The centerpiece is an open platform developed with help from Microsoft and Alibaba. This open software enables developers to create apps exclusively for the 01. This will enable the user to fine tune their car according to their specific requirements. Lynk & Co also plans to keep the car as connected as possible. They even aim to eliminate dealers altogether by enabling customers to purchase and service their cars directly from the company using mobile connectivity.

Lynk &Co also offers car sharing capabilities with the 01. The 01 can be shared among different people by using digital locks to enable specific people to use the car for a certain period of time. This will eliminate the hassle of carrying around physical keys to share a ride. With applications specifically made to aid this process, Lynk & Co expects to make the car-sharing business easier.
The 01 compact SUV will reach China first in 2017 and then it will slowly move on to US and Europe. There is no announcement made on its arrival in the Middle Eastern market yet.