On October 23, 2022, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P Long-Range version was officially launched and the prices were announced. Compared with the pre-sale prices, the prices of the new car have been lowered to:
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Lynk & Co 09 EM-P Long-Range version AM version guide price of 359,800 yuan;
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Lynk & Co 09 EM-P Long-Range version PM version guide price of 369,800 yuan.
Lynk & Co officials stated that, before November 30, 2022, customers who place orders and choose a fixed-term warranty plan can enjoy a discount of 16,000 yuan on the new car:
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Lynk & Co 09 EM-P Long-Range version AM version 339,800 yuan;
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Lynk & Co 09 EM-P Long-Range version PM version 349,800 yuan.
At 20:19 on October 23, 2022, the Lynk & Co APP ordering channel for the 09 EM-P Long-Range version will be opened. The new car will be officially delivered starting from November 1, 2022.
The powertrain of the “Lynk & Co 09 EM-P Long-Range version” has been completely renewed. The new system is based on the Lynk & Co Intelligent Hybrid E-Motive platform, and is equipped with the Drive-E 2.0TD T5 engine and a hybrid-specific 3-speed DHT gearbox.
This is a completely new system. Under the P1 + P2 + P4 architecture, the P1 motor is mainly used for power generation, and the P2 motor and P4 motor form a four-wheel-drive system. With the assistance of the 3-speed DHT gearbox, it can enter the parallel mode of engine + motor drive mode at speeds above 20 km/h, achieving a good balance between theoretical power and fuel economy.Not long ago, we had the opportunity to test drive the Lync 09 EM-P Long Range Edition in Qiandao Lake. For details, please click the link: Bending and Sailing: Test Driving the Lync 09 EM-P Long Range Edition. Here we will briefly review.
Exterior & Interior
Exterior
As the flagship product of the Lync brand, the Lync 09 EM-P must also have flagship style in its design. In terms of dimensions, the Lync 09 EM-P is somewhere between the Ideal L8 and the QW T5:
In terms of exterior design, each of the three vehicles has its own unique style. The Lync 09 EM-P version has not undergone major changes compared to the previous version, and its previous design is still distinctive, durable, and does not look outdated as viewed today.
The Lync’s iconic split headlamp has evolved from once being questioned to becoming a familial feature. Personally, I think this design is more harmonious on larger cars. Moreover, by judging the distance between the two sides of the front end of the car, it can also be determined by sitting in the car.
The side view of the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P is, in my opinion, the most attractive angle. Looking at the whole picture first, the over-five-meter length of the car provides designers with ample space: the complex curving side lines, the lines that extend from the fender to the rear door, the flying lines at the tail, the black decorations that pass through the bottom, and the body-colored wheel arches. These elements create a very impressive sense of sleekness, luxury, and power for a mid-to-large-sized SUV.
The shark fin decoration on the side of the car adds the finishing touch:
The family-style design of the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P’s tail is similar to that of Volvo in the sense that it slims downwards. Such a design moves the visual center of gravity of the whole tail downwards, making it look thick and broad. The hidden exhaust pipes also match the identity of a new energy vehicle.
The vertical LED tail lights of the “energy crystal” shine delicately when turned on, and the Lynk & Co English logo in the light compartment also adds to the overall design.
The 20-inch wheels are not as comfortable on a car of this size. However, the 275mm-wide Michelin UC6 tires provide positive support for handling and cornering limits.
Geely is one of the few domestic car companies with excellent design sense, and this also applies to the interior, in addition to the exterior.
Interior
In terms of the interior, the Geely 09 EM-P cabin atmosphere still inherits the excellent sense of luxury and magnificence of the old models. There are not too many changes in the overall layout. Geely officials said that they received feedback from users, and the Geely 09 EM-P multifunctional steering wheel has been redesigned and adopted physical buttons.
The “City of the Sky” aluminum decorative panel is located on the passenger side and both sides of the car door, and the details are praiseworthy:
The addition of the 8155 chip makes the 12-inch large screen more smoother. The Geely 09 EM-P also adds 3D interactive functions to the car control settings. In the completed modeling of the central control interface, you can click on the area you want to control and the interface will jump to the corresponding setting screen.
However, this function has not been polished very well: There are no obvious indicator points in the car modeling, and the user will not know where to click. Although there are corresponding white-dot indicators in the interior modeling diagram, the area is very small, and the operation is not very intuitive.
However, the voice recognition rate of the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P is very high. The four-tone microphone can recognize the commands of different passengers in their respective seats.
Below the 12-inch large screen, there is a 6-inch small screen that controls the temperature, air volume and air direction of the air conditioning. The LCD display on the knob is delicate, and it can also slide left and right to control multiple functions. The operation logic is somewhat similar to a smartwatch.
Almost everything you can touch inside the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P is leather-wrapped. The metal cover on the BOSE speaker adds a touch of delicacy.
The gear lever of the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P feels very similar to that of the Volvo XC40. The touch of the multi-function buttons, the “click-clack” touch of the knob, and the soft touch of the steering wheel all make people feel high-end, subtly and imperceptibly.
In terms of ride comfort, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P adopts newly designed NAPPA leather seats with stitching. Similar to Volvo, the seats offer a firm feel, but they provide great support for your spine and perfectly hold your thighs, showcasing excellent ergonomics.
For the seating experience in rows 2 and 3, the rear seats are softer than the front seats, and the shoulder area is specially designed with thick padding, while the backrest and seat cushion feature perforated design.
I am 175cm tall and weigh 70kg. After adjusting the second row seat to the furthest distance, there is about three fists of legroom and 4 fingers of headroom left. Compared to most pure electric models on the market, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P provides ample leg support for passengers in the rear seats. What’s more, the CTP battery pack makes the floor in the second row completely flat, which is highly praised.
As I test drove the 7-seater model today, access to the third row is not as convenient as in the 6-seater model. Due to the high ground clearance, getting in and out of the third row can be awkward, so it’s probably not the best seat for elder family members.
With the second-row seats fully adjusted to the back, the third-row seats are in an unusable state. If the second-row seats are moved to the front, there is still 4 fingers of legroom left in the second row, and nearly a fist of space in the third row. The three-row seating is relatively thin, and the leg support is inferior to the second row. This is a problem with the three-row space of SUV models, which can be understood.
However, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P still tries to improve the comfort of third-row passengers. There are USB charging ports, air conditioning vents, and speakers for short trips. The Lynk & Co 09 EM-P’s trunk can support folding the second and third rows for expansion, forming a space that is close to flat when folded.
Lynk & Co also launched related camping accessories. The Lynk & Co 09 EM-P, equipped with a 40-degree battery and a 6.4 kWh discharge capacity, can also use the air conditioner and projector while the engine is off.
## Review of Driving Experience
Let’s start with the power performance. In “Intelligent Mode,” the system will also predict and manage energy consumption for each section of the user’s entire journey based on navigation information: prioritizing pure electric energy when the battery is fully charged and charging the battery ahead of congested road sections to maintain low-speed pure electric driving when the battery is insufficient.
If the system judges the driving style to be not aggressive, pure electric driving will be prioritized. Through the energy flow on the dashboard, I found that the working state of the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P was very active during the driving process, but whether in series, parallel, or hybrid mode, the switching of the system was very smooth. When there is no request for heavy throttle, the sound and vibration of the engine intervention is almost imperceptible to passengers.
Under conditions such as heavy throttle acceleration and full load uphill, the engine still works but the noise and vibration levels are only “perceptible”, making it quieter compared to a gasoline car.
In the 20-100 km/h range, the engine is always on standby. When the throttle is fully pressed, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P also has a kick-down button that forces a downshift to a higher gear ratio and quickly coordinates the engine and motor, resulting in very responsive and rapid power output.
The driving experience of Lynk & Co 09 EM-P is also at the top level of its class. On the winding roads of Qiandao Lake, the sensitive and precise steering gives people strong confidence in this big guy weighing over two tons and more than five meters in length.
The same front double wishbone and rear multi-link + composite leaf spring structure as Volvo XC90 brings excellent support. When rolling over large potholes, there are only two loud “bangs” in the car, as if the car is padded with a thick latex mat underneath. The use of front and rear double-layer glass and ANC active noise reduction technology also makes the cabin very quiet.
However, it is still a bit of a pity that Lynk & Co 09 EM-P can provide a good sense of isolation when facing poor road conditions, but small vibrations on smooth roads continue to be transmitted into the car, and the road feel is sometimes too obvious. I guess this may also be related to the characteristics of the rear axle composite leaf springs.
In the previous test drive process, after driving for 90 km, the cruising range dropped from 61 km to 16 km, with an average fuel consumption of 3.7 L/100 km. Since our driving style was more aggressive and we did not turn on the “Intelligent Battery Protection” mode during the drive, this result is for reference only. We will also bring standardized test results to you in Shanghai in the future.
Final WordsCompared to the pure comfort-oriented direction of most mid-large-sized SUVs, if you’re looking for a model that balances comfort and driving pleasure at this price point, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P is almost the only choice. The accumulated years of powertrain development and chassis tuning expertise behind Lynk & Co are now displayed with the maturity and composure that an old-school automaker should have.
Undoubtedly, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P fully utilizes the brand’s best design, technology, and tuning levels. To be sure, compared to the outstanding self-developed auxiliary driving system performance and voice intelligence level of new players, Lynk & Co still has room for improvement.
The similar pricing to the Ideal L7/L8 also puts pressure on the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P. However, objectively speaking, compared to the Ideal model’s style that emphasizes maximizing space, comfort, and intelligence, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P has better driving pleasure and handling, and the two belong to different styles of models.
Therefore, if you need a medium-to-large-sized SUV that can still feel fun in the driver’s seat and prefer this “traditional” luxury ambiance, the Lynk & Co 09 EM-P is indeed a good choice.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.