Brands like BYD and their “cheap Chinese EVs” have dominated the news cycle as of late. For good reason, too. Chinese companies are offering affordable, attractive EVs at quicker development cycles than Western manufacturers. The rest of the world has been put on notice. However, China’s impressive EV segment is only part of the story. Plug-in hybrids (or extended-range EVs, depending on the model) are also a huge and important segment in China.
While I was at the Beijing Auto Show earlier this year, Geely put on a showcase of its latest offerings from all of its brands (excluding Volvo and Polestar). Most models were EVs, but Geely also let me test three of its latest PHEV models. All use the same “Leishen” hybrid system developed by Geely subsidiary NordThor, mated to a two or three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission.
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China's "New Energy Vehicle" Market
China has aggressive subsidies to promote what it calls "new energy vehicles," or NEVs: basically, battery EVs or plug-in hybrids. Cars with plus now dominate the new car landscape in China. Meanwhile, PHEVs have been an on-again, off-again technology in other markets.
No, Geely didn’t find an empty barn full of old three-speeds from 1990s Dodge Neons and decided to go nuts from there. This is something a little bit different. The main story, however, is Geely’s latest hybrid setup; it is considerably different than what we’ve already seen at Volvo, and with an impressive all-electric range that could bode well for that brand's hybrid future.
Take the Lynk & Co 08 crossover I drove in China, for example. Besides the impressive 536 horsepower going to all four wheels, it's rated at an extremely impressive 245 km (152 miles) of all-electric range and a staggering 1,400 km (870 miles) of total range with a full tank of gas.
Granted, that's on China's extremely generous CLTC testing cycle, not the one the U.S. uses. But the PHEVs used here, including one with a pretty large battery pack, could represent big range gains if future Volvo models get similar tech stateside. (And that's provided people actually plug them in, which seems to be an open question.)
I spent some time with that and two other examples of Geely’s hybrid system—the Lynk & Co 07 compact sedan and the Geely Galaxy L7 crossover—in varying states of electric charge. These three models show what the brand is capable of in the non-pure-EV space, but also, the Lynk & Co models preview some upgrades to the underlying structure that underpins a lot of Volvo and Polestar models.
What The Heck Are These?
You may have heard of Lynk & Co before, or if you live in Europe or the Middle East, you've likely seen some around. Established in 2016, it's one component in Geely's ever-growing world domination plans.
Yet the brand has had several false starts in the United States. It planned to sell a premium-branded car that would’ve been subscription-only starting in 2020. Obviously that time has come and gone with no Lynk & Co cars ever reaching our roads. The brand was still thinking about the potential of a U.S. market launch, as recently as March 2023.
Unfortunately, the brand’s theoretical 2024 launch would have hinged on a Chinese-made electric vehicle; not an ideal move for Lynk & Co in a world with a 100% tariff on EVs made in China. Ask the Volvo EX30 how that's going.
Lynk & Co's volume seller and only model available outside of China is the 01. I would describe the car as a store-brand Volvo XC40. It’s on the same CMA platform as the Volvo, but with styling that’s a little less demure. But while Lynk & Co has kind of languished in European markets with one aging model, the brand has flourished in China due to constant investment.
Zeekr—another Geely brand we've covered extensively here—and Lynk & Co kind of occupy the same market segment. But while Zeekr only sells electric cars, Lynk & Co only does PHEV or hybrid models. However, that may change since there are rumors that Zeekr will soon release its first PHEV, and Lynk & Co will soon have a full EV on sale. Go figure.
Regardless, the Lynk & Co 07 and 08 are two variations on a similar theme. The two are compact-sized semi-premium PHEV models. The 08 crossover went on sale in late 2023, while the 07 sedan was officially unveiled and made for sale during this year’s Beijing Auto Show in April. Both use similar variants of Geely’s NordThor hybrid powerplant and ride on the same revised version of the CMA platform, called CMA Evo.
The results speak for themselves. The Lynk & Co 07 has 102 km (63 miles) of electric range before the engine kicks in. Again, the cycles are different, but the results could be better than the 30 to 40 miles of range that today's Volvo PHEVs get.
Which begs the question...
What is NordThor?
NordThor is another Geely operation that manufactures ICE and PHEV/hybrid equipment. On a tour of its Hangzhou Bay factory, representatives of the brand boasted that it’s a very modular facility, able to piece together engines, transmissions and batteries for both full PHEV models or traditional non-plug-in HEVs.
NordThor only makes three different engines: a 1.5-liter four-cylinder, a 1.5-liter three-cylinder and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, all available with forced induction. Those engines are mated to one of three transmissions, and a couple of choices for electric motors, fed by batteries that are at least 10 kilowatt hours.
NordThor says that Geely’s goal is to simplify its powertrain lineup, and only make these handful engines until it phases them out for an all-electric future. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is the same engine that powers every U.S.-market internal combustion Volvo.
But what's novel here is how different this hybrid setup really is, and what it could mean for Volvo's fleet worldwide.
Whereas the Volvo hybrids use a traditional transmission in tandem with an electric motor that powers the rear axle (or sits between the engine and DCT transmission for the not-for-USA XC40 PHEV), The NordThor system uses two electric motors and a two or three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT.)
On its face, Geely’s system is similar to what you’d find in a modern Honda hybrid. In cars like the CR-V or Accord, Honda’s newer two-motor electric hybrid setup eschews a traditional transmission (neither eCVT nor planetary automatic transmission) acting as a series hybrid, where the electric motor does most of the work, while the gas engine is responsible for keeping the battery topped up.
Under sustained high-speed driving, like on the freeway, the gas engine can be linked to the wheels directly via a clutch, with the electric motor assisting when needed—a parallel hybrid.
Geely’s system is a similar blend of series and parallel hybrid systems, but it adds a two or three-speed planetary gearset right before the power goes to the wheels. Geely says that this allows for broader use of the ICE engine’s power and torque while allowing the engine to settle down at lower speeds.
How Do They Drive?
The Lynk & Co siblings, and their Geely Galaxy L7 cousin, all use similar pieces and parts, although there were some variations between the three cars. All have Geely’s new 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbo engine, which produces 161 horsepower. For the front-wheel-drive 07 and Galaxy L7, the rather large primary electric motor generates 214 hp.
The Galaxy L7 and Lynk and Co 07 sedan both use three-speed DHTs, while the AWD Lynk & Co 08 uses a two-speed unit. The 07 and 08 ride on the newer CMA Evo chassis, while the Galaxy L7 makes do with the older version of CMA. The 08’s battery is comparatively big for a hybrid, a full 39.6 kWh (net), while the 07 and Galaxy L7 use 18.99 kWh and 18.7 kWh batteries, respectively.
(Annoyingly, it seems like Geely simply adds the power outputs together, because it’s not clear if all these power systems can deliver their maximum outputs at once. Geely claims the front-wheel-drive Galaxy L7 and Lynk and Co 07 are capable of 385 hp. The twin-motor Lynk & Co 08 is rated for 538 hp. Those numbers sound staggering on paper, but in practice, the math just isn’t mathing.)
The Galaxy L7 has a 0-62 time of just under seven seconds. The Lynk & Co 07 is a little quicker at around 6.5 seconds. I hesitate to call either number slow, but it’s clear that neither car is putting almost 400 horsepower into the front wheels alone unless the trunk has been filled with cement. The AWD Lynk & Co 08 is the only car with an acceleration figure that seems to even remotely match its claimed power output. Geely says it will hit 60 in 4.6 seconds.
Still, the systems felt smooth and generally responsive. If you’ve driven a Chevrolet Volt, then Geely’s system will feel familiar. The driving experience is mostly electrified, with the gas engine interjecting as needed. The experience is smooth and seamless; it’s hard to grasp exactly what the powertrain is doing at any given time. I stood on the accelerator in the Galaxy L7, and the gas engine surged, then the car “shifted.” I wasn’t sure if that was the car selecting one of its three speeds, or simply trying to fake me out.
The 07 and 08 felt generally quick for what they were, albeit not as quick as the huge power figures suggested. Both cars cornered neatly, albeit not all that interestingly. The 08’s raised height and excess weight make themselves known on track, with plenty of body roll and understeer. I don’t mind, the car felt competent enough for a luxury SUV with no sporting pretensions. The 07 was less roly-poly, but I wouldn’t call it a track star either. Both cars had light steering with little feel. Not sporty in the slightest, but that doesn’t make them bad vehicles.
By the time I got behind the lower-cost Geely Galaxy L7, it had already been driven by nearly a dozen drivers, all working it hard around the track. Its 18.7 kWh battery was depleted.
After a couple of full-throttle runs, the remaining battery envelope necessary to maintain hybrid function had also run low. Then, the Galaxy L7 somewhat slowly ambled around the track while the 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder did its best to charge the battery, run the air conditioning, and keep the car moving. There were a couple of portions on the track where the Galaxy L7 just could not accelerate at all.
Then again, these things aren't built for extended track duty anyway. As a former Chevrolet Volt owner, I don’t hold this against the car. Just ask any Volt owner about the “propulsion power is reduced” dialogue; its the whole reason why GM added “mountain mode” to the Volt in 2013.
So, What Does This Mean For Us?
One of the biggest takeaways from my time talking to Geely’s executives are Geely’s plans to streamline and simplify its operations among its brands, including Volvo. The Geely Galaxy L7 might not have much relevance to us here in the U.S., but the Lynk & Co 07 and 08 absolutely do, since they ride on the next generation of CMA architecture. Dynamically, the 07 and 08 were not calibrated for European or American audiences.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re bad, they’re just not to our tastes. Automakers calibrate the same model for different markets all the time, the 07 and 08 can likely be altered for consumption outside of China, if necessary.
Even if Lynk & Co never makes it past China and the handful of markets it exists in Europe, the updates to the CMA platform shown off on these models are important. The addition of eAWD and a better-packaged interior could make any Volvo that would use this platform a stronger model—not to mention the potential boosts in range.
Gallery: Lynk & Co 07 EM-P (2024)
That may come to pass. Nearly every automaker is dialing back its EV transition plans, Volvo included. On July 18, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan admitted that its mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid models are still popular with Volvo’s customers and that it has plans to continue to invest in its PHEV and HEV lineup. It now plans to continue to sell ICE-powered vehicles past 2030.
Rowan also said Volvo plans to tap into Geely’s resources to expand its PHEV lineup. It seems inevitable that a new XC40 or XC60 based on the guts of these Lynk & Co cars will hit our shores sooner rather than later.
Contact the author: kevin.williams@insideevs.com
