Peter Horbury’s Lynk & Co 01 is more than a hybrid car; it represents changing dynamic between consumers, experiences, and travel.

And now powered by HERE Technologies’ premium map content and connected vehicle services, it is “car that has it all.”

Lynk & Co is a new brand created by Geely, the Chinese giant that also owns Volvo and Lotus.

British designer Peter Horbury, Geely’s design boss and the former design chief of both Volvo and Ford in North America, oversaw the 01’s styling.

The 01 is a distinctively styled SUV, sized just above the Audi Q3, with high-mounted blade-style running lights, wide horizontal grille flanked by discreet headlamps and a sharp-edged chunky looks.

Horbury stated it was an extraordinary and exciting challenge, designing a new car from a new brand.

“There is no past to influence us. Only a future.”

And the future has much more in store for the company’s customers.

Aside from its sleek, handsome design, the 01 also introduces a new business model to the automotive sector as a mobility service provider putting sustainability at the core of the company’s mission.

The average car is only in use for 4% of the time and the rest of the time, it’s parked. With the 01, Lynk & Co members can share their car.

By using this sharing platform, you share resources and reduce the overall number cars on the street.

With a focus on growing their membership community (not just selling cars), Lynk & Co’s business model encourages a more efficient use of mobility.

The membership model itself encourages people to share vehicles and reduces the overall number of cars on the road.

The 01 is a radical solution for a new generation of connected customers who want mobility on
their terms.

The automotive industry has continued with a distribution and ownership model that has existed for over 100 years, but Lynk & Co recognizes that people value products that reflect their digital and ever-changing lifestyle.

Another major departure is the lack of any options — there are no extras to mull over as “everything extra comes as standard.”

However, at the core of the 01 is connectivity.

A range of connected technologies on offer in the vehicle is aimed at making life easier.

It comes with a large central touchscreen and telematics systems that are always connected to the internet and the car’s own cloud.

In its search to make mobility a harmonious experience, Lynk & Co has identified parking as a key pain point for its members.

As a result of this, all 01 models are now equipped with HERE Parking.

This connected service shows drivers where they are most likely to find on- and off-street parking places, along with information on pricing and restrictions such as maximum parking duration, no parking zones and loading zones.

This service also takes into account the time it will take to park and provides an estimated time of arrival (ETA) so that journeys can be planned more accurately.

The service is based on historical and near real-time data coming from a variety of sources, including vehicle sensors.

In addition to its parking services, HERE’s connected vehicle services include HERE Real-Time Traffic, search, weather services and departure alert services.

These services come on top of the HERE map that displays roads, 3D buildings, speed limits and traffic patterns – some of the many attributes Lynk & Co drivers will now benefit from.

“We are very proud to contribute to Lynk & Co’s vision of hassle-free mobility,” said Knuth Sexauer, Vice President for Automotive at HERE Technologies.

“We look forward to providing Lynk & Co’s customers with a seamless driving experience including effortless parking, both on- and off-street.”

“One of the unique parts about Lynk & Co is that our business model, as well as the 01, are fundamentally designed to meet our customers’ needs and to make life a little easier,” comments Alain Visser, CEO of Lynk & Co.

European customers will be able to get their hands on the Lynk & Co 01 this year.

Designers: Peter Horbury, Greely Design
Manufacturer: Lynk & Co