This time, LYNK&CO's pure electric model has been reborn, aiming to regain everything lost four years ago!

Why do we say everything was lost? Those who follow LYNK&CO should know that the first pure electric model Z10 recently released by LYNK&CO is strikingly similar to the pure electric concept car ZERO released four years ago. Electrification was always LYNK&CO's goal.

Just when everyone thought that LYNK&CO ZERO was about to go into mass production, suddenly ZEEKR 001 popped up - a sibling from the same family, leaving LYNK&CO fans feeling disappointed...

From an outsider's perspective, the launch of LYNK&CO's first pure electric model Z10 seems to have escalated this brotherly rivalry of "being born from the same root, why fight so fiercely?" But will LYNK&CO Z10 really stab its own brother in the back?

Perhaps not.

The Brothers' Past and Present

Let's rewind the clock to four years ago and take a look at the "love-hate relationship" between these siblings:

In September 2020, LYNK&CO released the ZERO Concept and the SEA Vast Architecture, followed by the official image of the mass-produced car a few months later. LYNK&CO held onto the fuel car route while also stepping onto the broad path of pure electric vehicles.

In March 2021, ZEEKR brand was established and released its first mass-produced model - ZEEKR 001, resembling a rebranded ZERO concept.

In April 2021, ZEEKR 001 officially went on sale and was scheduled to start delivery in October. This year, ZEEKR 001 underwent a mid-cycle refresh, receiving widespread praise from the market.

From 2017 to 2020, LYNK&CO, as a new brand focusing on young and sporty cars, had already established a firm foothold in the market. The successive launches of LYNK&CO 01, 02, 03, 05, and 06 also achieved impressive results.

However, LYNK&CO's electrification plan was not shelved. With the booming new energy vehicle market, LYNK&CO also began to launch plug-in hybrid models 07 EM-P and 08 EM-P.

From 2023 onwards, LYNK&CO will no longer produce new pure fuel series products, but it will not be absent from the electrification market. This is LYNK&CO's brand development trajectory.

With the launch of ZEEKR 001 and the shelving of LYNK&CO's pure electric mass production plan, it was generally believed that ZEEKR would focus on high-end intelligent pure electric vehicles, while LYNK&CO would focus on fuel and plug-in hybrid routes, each playing its own role.

However, with the launch of LYNK&CO Z10, this boundary has been broken.

Therefore, people inevitably compare LYNK&CO Z10 with ZEEKR 001 everywhere. Previously, stories of Geely's sibling models fighting each other are not uncommon, such as Polestar and Geely EVOLVE, which are cousins of ZEEKR. When it comes to domestic automakers who understand "having more children is better for fighting," Geely dares to claim second place, and no one dares to claim first.

Will ZEEKR's high-end pure electric brand, established in three years, once again be overshadowed by its sibling LYNK&CO?

Brothers Competing but Also Supporting Each Other?

When discussing the similarities between the two brothers, the first thing people notice is that both LYNK&CO Z10 and ZEEKR 001 are built on Geely's "SEA Vast Architecture" electrical architecture. They share features like dual-cavity air suspension + CDC, and the same lidar as ZEEKR 001. Both cars have the same wheelbase and are positioned as mid-to-large-sized vehicles.

Although they share the same origins and have genes of luxury and performance, LYNK&CO Z10 and ZEEKR 001 both utilize Geely's excellent components. However, their designs, infotainment system experiences, and chassis tuning still represent two different product orientations:

Battery: ZEEKR 001 uses Ningde Times' Qilin battery, while LYNK&CO Z10 is equipped with the same self-developed lithium iron phosphate brick battery as ZEEKR 007.

Range and Charging: LYNK&CO Z10 is based on both 400V and 800V power platforms, offering a maximum pure electric range of 800KM. The 800V architecture supports ultra-fast charging, while ZEEKR 001 is fully equipped with 800V.

Performance and Chassis: In addition to sharing the same dual-cavity air suspension CDC as ZEEKR 001, LYNK&CO Z10 is equipped with dual silicon carbide high-performance electric drives, achieving a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.5 seconds. It is said to also feature an AI digital chassis and rear-wheel steering technology, seemingly continuing LYNK&CO's inherent sporty genes.

Interior: In addition to what ZEEKR 001 offers, LYNK&CO Z10 has basically transplanted Lotus' interior, including Ultrasuede suede roof, Nappa leather seats, and leg supports for the driver and passenger seats.

Software: The biggest difference lies in the software aspect. LYNK&CO's infotainment system is Meizu's Flyme Auto, using a brand-new infotainment chip. According to official claims, its performance is 1.8 times that of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 used in ZEEKR.

Intelligent Driving: LYNK&CO Z10 features a high-level intelligent driving solution developed by Lotus' in-house team, equipped with lidar and NVIDIA Orin-X chips, supporting highway NOA and city NOA without maps. Unlike ZEEKR 001's Mobileye solution, this is the biggest difference between LYNK&CO and ZEEKR.

In summary, LYNK&CO Z10 embodies the brand's inherent young and sporty genes, while ZEEKR develops as a luxurious household pure electric model.

For them, the two brothers can support each other rather than causing internal friction. If priced lower than ZEEKR 001, LYNK&CO Z10 will fill a market segment that values driving pleasure and intelligent driving features, and join forces with its brother ZEEKR 001 to encircle and suppress other brands.

On the contrary, from a model positioning perspective, LYNK&CO Z10 mainly targets competitors such as Xiaomi SU7, Zhijie S7, and AVATR 12....

Creating a Trendy Brand in the Automotive Industry

From the above, Geely's SEA Vast platform has a sense of one dragon giving birth to nine sons. So, among the crowded Geely pure electric family, what makes LYNK&CO stand out?

There is always a unique school of thought in the domestic automotive brand racetrack: the design school. Representative brands include Geely's LYNK&CO and Changan's AVATR. LYNK&CO's ability to stand out among numerous domestic brands relies on its design and sporty track temperament.

Initially, LYNK&CO was recognized for its Volvo halo. Later, LYNK&CO began to establish its own brand tone, from its initial sporty style to today's luxurious household style, always adhering to its unique design personality, making it a unique presence in the automotive circle.

The greatest significance of design is as a user identifier for a brand and product. Many people may not recognize the value of design, just like they cannot understand trendy brands or personalized products. In fact, they don't need to understand because it means they are not the target consumer group for these brands.

According to LYNK&CO's user research, nearly 60% of LYNK&CO's existing users look forward to LYNK&CO's pure electric models, and 40% are willing to choose pure electric models when upgrading or purchasing a new car.

Many car owners who like or choose LYNK&CO actually don't care about LYNK&CO's so-called range and powertrain form. They value the unique original design, high performance, and sporty track genes carried by the LYNK&CO brand. LYNK&CO officials also stated that "performance cars" will be a permanent label for LYNK&CO.

A memorable line from the LYNK&CO Z10 launch event was: "Today, original design is so challenging and scarce." For those who pursue unique designs, even if a model doesn't conform to mainstream aesthetics, they don't want any traces of imitation. Focusing on personalization is an important reason why the LYNK&CO brand stands out.

Although the design of new energy vehicles has gradually converged, the brand's philosophy and persistence are even more crucial. LYNK&CO Z10 upholds its unique original design and sporty technological tone, which is commendable in itself.

"Does the world still need a pure electric LYNK&CO?" This is a soul-searching question posed by Lin Jie, Senior Vice President of Geely Automobile Group, to the LYNK&CO brand. In today's new energy vehicle market, where many pure electric brands such as IM and Xiaomi are preparing to enter the hybrid and extended-range queues, LYNK&CO is bucking the trend by entering the pure electric market, like a "lone warrior" wielding a sword and riding a white horse to build a city-state.

LYNK&CO chose to introduce Z10 to the world in Gothenburg, a city where history and modernity intertwine, just as LYNK&CO hopes to bring everyone a masterpiece that fuses art and technology, connecting the senses and the rational.

In today's fiercely competitive new energy market, the industry is very competitive, but LYNK&CO hopes to rise above the competition. This sword, LYNK&CO hopes, will not stab its own brother but will be unsheathed to show the thick-blooded joint ventures that Chinese brands can also have original designs.