On November 14, Geely Holding announced an optimization of the equity structures of ZEEKR and Lynk & Co, promoting comprehensive strategic synergy between both brands. This coincides with ZEEKR’s release of its Q3 2024 financial report and occurs on the eve of the Guangzhou Auto Show.
As such, whether it’s ZEEKR’s Q3 financial call or the automakers showcasing their strengths at the Guangzhou Auto Show, the topics of whether ZEEKR and Lynk & Co will merge or separate, how product lines will be structured, and if any financial issues have been encountered are subjects of great interest.
Yesterday afternoon, we interviewed Lin Jie, Senior Vice President of Geely Auto Group and General Manager of Lynk & Co Automobile Sales Co., Ltd., Mu Jun, Deputy General Manager of Lynk & Co Automobile Sales Co., Ltd., and Chen Xiaofei, Deputy General Manager of Lynk & Co Automobile Sales Co., Ltd., to gain insights into these topics.
In summary, ZEEKR and Lynk & Co will integrate in technology, manufacturing, services, and market expansion, but will maintain separate brand positioning and product lines.
In terms of specific product definitions and technical strategy, Lynk & Co’s focus on small pure electric and medium hybrid vehicles, and ZEEKR’s focus on medium pure electric and large hybrid vehicles, define a new direction for product development to reduce internal competition and ensure each brand holds responsibility in its market segment.
Therefore, in principle, ZEEKR will no longer develop A-class pure electric products, and its hybrid offerings will be limited to D and E levels. In the future, Lynk & Co will cater more to the A-class market in the pure electric sphere, and in the hybrid sphere, it will cover A, B, and C segment markets.
However, the strategic synergy between the two brands does not affect the intelligence of existing cockpit products and intelligent driving features, with each brand’s intelligent solution remaining independent. Each system’s upgrade and iteration will be unaffected.
The announcement of the two brands’ integration seemingly comes suddenly, but it has been under consideration for quite some time.
Lin Jie indicated that plans for the integration between ZEEKR and Lynk & Co had been drafted even before Lynk & Co Z10 was launched.
The initial overestimation of the pure electric market during ZEEKR’s early days resulted in overlap in some product lines between ZEEKR and Lynk & Co. With the rapid rise of plug-in hybrids altering the new energy market structure, both brands believed it was a decisive moment to act, contrary to industry speculation of reverse-engineering financial circumstances from observable trends.
After the integration, the ambition is by 2026 to become a high-end luxury automobile group with annual production and sales of one million units.
Q: When were the strategic synergies between ZEEKR and Lynk & Co decided, and was it related to financial pressure?
A: Coordinating and implementing the merger required communication with the three listed companies, and such planning had been underway long before the Lynk & Co Z10 launch.
Lynk & Co was established in 2016 by Geely Auto to compete head-on with high-end foreign brands and tap into developed markets. Given the unique advantage of its parent company Geely Holding Group owning VOLVO, Lynk & Co was established through a joint venture involving Geely, VOLVO, and the parent company.ZEEKR was spun off from 0175 to ensure its rapid growth as a pioneer leading 0175’s comprehensive transition to new energy and intelligence, without adding burdens to 0175’s minority shareholders, given the then capital market environment.
Speculations about financial pressure are retrospective interpretations based on the current phenomena, but that’s not the case. During ZEEKR’s separation from Lynk & Co, the capital market was brimming with opportunities, with everyone seeking new paths. After ZEEKR’s launch, Lynk & Co also aimed for upward development. The Z10 seen today is actually a plan made three years ago, when the industry was skeptical of plug-ins and generally believed pure electric was the way forward, leading to this strategy.
Despite the anticipated overlap with ZEEKR at the time, the market seemed highly optimistic about pure electric vehicles, with hopes high and no perceived disadvantages to another player. Two years later, however, we found the market had changed considerably, with an abundance of pure electric products and few companies profiting solely from electrics, making it crucial to envision the future from today’s standpoint.
Considering both brands’ current situations, it’s evident that despite different positions, there are price overlaps. Failing to integrate would naturally lead to intra-industry competition issues, with ongoing internal conflicts during operations and external criticism. These scenarios are detrimental to Geely’s overall development and investors.
Without integrating the two brands, originally sharable aspects like R&D, architecture, and sales would experience duplicated investments and compounded expenses. Especially in China’s fiercely competitive automotive market, efficiently sharing resources is essential to reduce costs and enhance competitiveness, crucial for any company today. Without integration, neither Lynk & Co nor ZEEKR can heighten their overall competitiveness.
We feel it’s time for decisive action; strategic integration of Lynk & Co and ZEEKR is imperative.
Q: How will ZEEKR and Lynk & Co differentiate in brand positioning?
A: Post-merger, the two will certainly maintain a dual-brand strategy, relatively independent in the market. ZEEKR is positioned as a luxury tech brand, targeting the premium luxury market, while Lynk & Co is a global new energy high-end brand, targeting the mid to high-end market.
These two brands have a very clear and distinct positioning in terms of pricing and brand values, to maximize market coverage. For instance, the Lynk & Co brand maintains its trendsetting, unique, and sporty style, with a user ecosystem characteristic of Lynk & Co.
Brands should maintain their independence within a single group company, with distinctive brand tones and user experiences becoming less similar, not more so. Nevertheless, behind the product, technology should converge, become platform-based, to improve efficiency, competitiveness, and benefit the user.
Q: How will ZEEKR and Lynk & Co differentiate in product strategy?
A: Both brands have completely different design styles, with future development based on brand segmentation. For example, ZEEKR will no longer develop new A-segment pure electric models, while Lynk & Co will continue with the launched or completed engineering development of A, B, C, D, and E segment products, but future new product development will focus more on A, B, and C-segment hybrids.In addition, for the A-segment market, which focuses on pure electrics, it is led by Lynk & Co. Thus, the Z20 is a vital initiative for the Lynk & Co brand within the pure electric market. We should diligently cultivate it, claiming Lynk & Co’s dominance in the pure electric market without reservation.
Typically, we develop one generation and reserve another. The products for the upcoming years have already been completed, so any specific changes in the product line will likely take place at least two years from now. Existing or already engineered products will remain unaffected.
The competitiveness of entirely new products will certainly be stronger. Current models will become more affordable as costs are amortized. Overall, the price ranges of the two brands do overlap, but the overlapping categories differ, thus avoiding direct competition.
Q: Will the cockpits and intelligent driving systems of the two brands be integrated?
A: For cockpits, Lynk & Co and ZEEKR will remain consistent in terms of hardware and underlying middleware. However, at the application layer, Lynk & Co will continue to use Flyme, while ZEEKR will maintain ZEEKR OS.
Currently, Lynk & Co has no plans to change its vehicle operating system and will continue using its proprietary system due to the significant top-level development investment. ZEEKR also has its investment, and both teams will enhance communication to ensure a seamless user experience.
Regarding intelligent driving, current Lynk & Co models cannot incorporate ZEEKR’s autonomous driving technology due to hardware and layout differences; only upon a model upgrade can integration be considered. Existing Lynk & Co and ZEEKR products are still in development, and there will be no immediate system changes. Maintenance and software upgrades for current models will proceed unaffected.
Considering the differences in brand positioning, ZEEKR will focus on more advanced intelligent driving resources, which Lynk & Co can also share. For advanced configurations, such as more powerful chips, Lynk & Co may adopt ZEEKR’s intelligent driving system in the future. Different solutions will apply to products priced below 100,000 to 150,000, allowing for more efficient alignment of resources with product positioning.
Q: How will both brands strategize their channel development in the domestic market?
A: A significant portion of ZEEKR’s investors are also Lynk & Co investors. There are no barriers to channel cooperation between the two, and the focus will be on penetrating lower-tier markets. In third-tier and fourth-tier cities, electric vehicles priced below 100,000 may have higher sales volumes. Establishing ZEEKR Family-type service centers is challenging for profitability, so Lynk & Co’s channel advantages can contribute to enhancing ZEEKR’s brand penetration.
For after-sales service, first to third-tier cities will have separate services: Lynk & Co for Lynk & Co, ZEEKR for ZEEKR. However, in third-tier and fourth-tier cities, Lynk & Co centers will be dominant. Additionally, a joint service brand named “Lynk-ZEEKR Service” is established, ensuring after-sales services for both brands, with plans to include Polestar and others.
Q: How will the two brands coordinate their presence in the European market?
A: The costs of building a brand internationally and maintaining product lines are extremely high. Some countries may not require both brands but rather the introduction of various products under a single brand. Thus, future international market deployments will need to be carefully considered, focusing on maximizing numbers with limited product diversity.The future integration plan for the two brands’ stores in Europe is not yet finalized.
Q: With this equity restructuring, Volvo is no longer a shareholder of Lynk & Co. What impact does this have on Lynk & Co.?
A: After ZEEKR acquired the 30% stake in Lynk & Co held by Volvo, Volvo is no longer a shareholder in the company. However, this change in investment relationship does not affect Lynk & Co’s use of Volvo’s technology, as they are both under the same large holding group.
For instance, the SPA architecture is a technology licensed from Volvo through a compliant commercialization method, and Lynk & Co can still use this technology, unrelated to the change in shareholding. Moreover, the CMA architecture is led by Geely with Volvo’s participation, and its intellectual property belongs to Geely.
Lynk & Co’s development overseas will continue to receive strong support and assistance from Volvo, which will provide sales channels and services in Europe for Lynk & Co.
Q: What changes can we expect in Lynk & Co’s electric powertrain systems in the future?
A: The Z20 cell plan is similar to the Z10’s 800 V cells, allowing the Z20, even at 400 V, to achieve a 4.5 C charging rate. In terms of hybrid technology, Lynk & Co will continue with the EM-P path to develop high-end electric hybrids. Currently, the Geely Raytheon EM-i super hybrid system has not yet been planned for Lynk & Co’s product line.
Q: Will Lynk & Co still have fuel vehicles? How are the fuel vehicles planned for the future?
A: Lynk & Co will continue to have fuel vehicles. There remains a significant market for fuel vehicles, and Lynk & Co’s performance and sports lines will continue to evolve, with current models undergoing updates and upgrades. However, no new products will be introduced. As announced last year, we won’t invest in all-new products, but good architectures won’t be shelved. Many Lynk & Co 01 users have expressed that after driving the 01, it becomes challenging to choose upgrades or replacements under 300,000 yuan, and this is the experience we intend to provide consumers, so we’re not ending it now.
Q: Will Lynk & Co continue to develop purely electric models?
A: Lynk & Co will certainly continue development, primarily focusing on the A-segment, and may develop some more personalized electric products. However, beyond that, no new conventional pure electric products will be developed. Existing models, such as the Z10, will definitely undergo updates and upgrades.
Q: Potential Lynk & Co customers may want both the most advanced features and practical value for money. How do you handle this conflict?
A: First, we need to create appeal, as attracting users without parameters is impossible, and being behind in parameters and technology means there’s no hope.
The A-segment pure electric SUV market still has its user demand, because in the current market, very low-price products might not fulfill quality expectations, while high-price products might seem too expensive for consumers. Therefore, we chose to position our products in the 150,000 yuan range, offering powerful performance, comprehensive features, and stylish design. Although space isn’t the largest, the wheelbase of 2,755 mm provides excellent rear and headroom. We aim to price our products according to the market and consumer demand and offer consumers attractive products.Q: What are your views on the increase in demand for refined small cars in the domestic market? For example, for brands like MINI and smart, despite price reductions, can they meet their targets and expectations? Are their audiences relatively narrow?
A: The size of the market audience for refined small cars depends on the comparison. Compared with the larger market share of SUVs, the small car market is indeed smaller, but in the A-segment car market, there are not many choices for consumers. Aside from a few foreign brands like MINI and smart, there aren’t many refined small cars that truly excel domestically. We believe that the product strength of Z20 exceeds these brands. We are not pursuing brand premium but are more focused on actual product strength and market demand. Now, young Chinese consumers are increasingly confident and are willing to choose domestic brands as long as the price is reasonable and the product strength is sufficient.
Q: How will Lynk & Co further develop its motorsports operations to enhance its brand image?
A: Motorsports have a very positive impact on establishing Lynk & Co’s performance label. Beyond racing, Lynk & Co also has a complete customer experience system. Many young people have already been attracted to Lynk & Co, wanting to come to get racing licenses and play with cars. Additionally, Lynk & Co has been feeding back information and data from teams on the track to support research and development.
This article is a translation by AI of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.