Nobody saw this coming: Lynk & Co is trading raw speed for range. The electric Z20, sold in export markets as the 02, has been thoroughly reworked. In China the updated car arrives as the Lynk & Co 20, and the focus has shifted from maximum acceleration to range, fast charging and driver-assist tech. Sales start in September 2026.
The big change is hidden under the skin. Geely’s new electric drive unit packs 16 components into a single module, uses silicon-carbide power electronics and puts out 245 kW — roughly 333 hp. Claimed overall efficiency reaches 93.8%. The car stays rear-wheel drive, hitting 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds.
Here’s the twist: in pure acceleration terms, that’s actually a step backward. The old flagship Z20’s 250 kW motor did the sprint to “triple digits” in 5.3 seconds — faster than the newcomer. In exchange, the Lynk & Co 20 gets an 800-volt architecture and 6C charging rated at up to 460 kW. The automaker claims just 12 minutes to charge from 10 to 80% — versus roughly 15 minutes for today’s Z20. Range, meanwhile, climbs from the old 430–530 km to 545 or 630 km on China’s CLTC cycle. According to the published figures, that points to battery packs of roughly 61.5 and 70 kWh.
Every version also gets lidar and the Qianli Haohan H5 suite, with both city and highway driver-assist modes. Inside, there’s far less drama. The big central touchscreen, narrow digital instrument cluster and head-up display all carry over. What did change: the air vents, center console and secondary controls. Physical buttons are back, along with a cooled 50W wireless charging pad — and, notably, ordinary mechanical door handles.
That last change says a lot. China’s mandatory GB 48001-2026 standard requires mechanical door opening from both inside and outside, and it takes effect on January 1, 2027. Ditching purely electronic handles on the new model isn’t a styling choice — it’s a direct response to shifting safety rules on the Chinese market.
Pricing for the Lynk & Co 20 hasn’t been announced yet. For reference, the current Z20 officially starts at 109,900 yuan in China as of August — roughly $15,400. But that figure can’t simply carry over to the new car: the 20 adds a lot of expensive hardware, from the 800V system and 6C charging to lidar and the new drive unit. September’s pricing will show whether Lynk & Co pulled off such a major overhaul without a significant markup.
