[FusionRedXC60]

That's a Zeekr, not a Volvo or Polestar. It's nice and may look better than the Volvo, from the exterior anyway. Looks better to my eyes than any of the Volvo EX30 renders.

I don't really get Lynk and Co. or Zeekr. Zeekr is called premium and seems to have great performance. If it comes to Europe, why buy a Volvo or Polestar over a Zeek? What makes the Volvo or Polestar worth more money to buy and what makes them more premium?

I think Zeekr has stolen Volvo's thunder with this reveal. I don't know. There's something Polestarish about this Zeekr. Maybe the back but something about it is Polestar-like, unlike the overstyled minivan or the 001 sports crossover.

LynkCo to Zeekr are trying to create very different styles. They are on the fancy and wacky side. Volvo and Polestar are on the classic side and it is harder to tell between Volvo and Polestar than between LynkCo/Zeekr and Volvo/Polestar.

 

[02s80]

This is what I don't like at all from the article.

"
Volvo has moved development work on sedans and the coming people-mover model to its Shanghai research and development hub, they said. That center, which has tripled its design staff to about 60 people, has recently moved to a new and larger building in Shanghai, one of the sources said.
The first of Volvo's new planned electric models, the EX90 battery-electric SUV, was unveiled late last year. It is expected to go on sale in early 2024.
Other battery-electric cars in the pipeline include electric versions of Volvo's main products – the XC90, XC60 and XC40 crossover vehicles and the S60 and S90 sedans, the sources said.
Those cars will follow Volvo's established, simple design cues, but the new van will target buyers in China and other markets with a more "emotional" design that builds from the Zeekr 009, which has a massive, LED-illuminated grille, one of the sources said."

I don't like any idea of moving Volvo's design to China. Volvo, up to now, has kept its Swedish sense by being designed and engineered in Sweden. Sharing platforms is no big deal and sending Volvo's tech to other brands is no big deal. But changing the design/engineering hub to China is something they've avoided. And I like the sedans anyway.

So, why have a Zeekr "premium" minivan for China and a Volvo one? The Zeekr one is $70,000. That's luxury money. Then what's the Volvo one. I don't see the point of the Volvo minivan. Swedes aren't about being "emotional," they're minimal, purposeful and sober in design. So, I don't like any talk of trying to transform Volvos into something they're not. I don't want to see Volvo's restyled Zeeker009 meant for the Chinese market. That to me is not a true Volvo.

Maybe I'll love what Volvo comes out with in the minivan. Maybe not. I just hope Volvo isn't trying to build up the company so it starts moving some of its operation out of its Swedish hub. I'd rather have a smaller Swedish Volvo than an expanded one that is Swedish flavored.

 

[02s80]

LynkCo to Zeekr are trying to create very different styles. They are on the fancy and wacky side. Volvo and Polestar are on the classic side and it is harder to tell between Volvo and Polestar than between LynkCo/Zeekr and Volvo/Polestar.

But that Zeekr has Polestar's signature mirrors. That's something I thought would be unique to Polestar or Volvo. And the back of that Zeekr has a Polestar 3 vibe about it. If they remain distinctly different, that's one thing. But the differences seem to be breaking down now.

Also I still want to know why one would buy a Volvo or Polestar vs. a Zeekr or Lynk and Co. if they essentially are the same vehicles and drive the same. Maybe they don't. But from what I'm reading about the Lynk and Co. 1, it drives a lot like the Volvo XC40.

 

[FusionRedXC60]

But that Zeekr has Polestar's signature mirrors. That's something I thought would be unique to Polestar or Volvo. And the back of that Zeekr has a Polestar 3 vibe about it. If they remain distinctly different, that's one thing. But the differences seem to be breaking down now.

Also I still want to know why one would buy a Volvo or Polestar vs. a Zeekr or Lynk and Co. if they essentially are the same vehicles and drive the same. Maybe they don't. But from what I'm reading about the Lynk and Co. 1, it drives a lot like the Volvo XC40.

There are many people want to buy higher price cars, like any other fashionable stuff.
MB, BMW, Audi, Porsche sells a significant number of cars in China, Europe and America. That's where Volvo and Polestar want to compete. Of course VW sells more, in the segment where Geely/LynkCo is pushing.

 

[02s80]

There are many people want to buy higher price cars, like any other fashionable stuff.
MB, BMW, Audi, Porsche sells a significant number of cars in China, Europe and America. That's where Volvo and Polestar want to compete. Of course VW sells more, in the segment where Geely/LynkCo is pushing.

There are no less expensive other brand versions of these cars, however. If you look at Lexus and Toyota, they have a lot of cars that are essentially the same car. Same platform, same dimensions. But Lexus ups not only the material quality but the ride smoothness and quietness and general refinement. To me, Volvo needs to feel much more premium to justify their price. Yes, the materials seem nicer in the Volvo (going by photos as I've never seen a Lynk and Co or Zeekr). But Volvo will need to do more to not have its less expensive versions take their sales where they're sold in the same market. That's not the case in North America, but could be in Europe.

 

[02s80]

dup

 

[VolvoGoteborg]

Zeekr is high end, Geometry is low end EV. LynkCo will have mid-level EV too.
Volvo is luxury and P* is luxury sporty level.
Zeekr X (EX30, Smart #1 size) is just announced.
Geometry EV is based on old chassis, and don't know how long it will be kept.
All EVs will move to SEA platform as I can imagine.

Hi, ok I get that for Geometry vs Zeekr in terms of products so far in China but I don't really get the clear differentiation between Zeekr, Lynk and Co and Geely. Feels too much overlap. Ok so maybe Geely at the bottom, middle is Lynk and Co and then top is Zeekr. But if Zeekr is heading to the EU as well then how does Volvo and Polestar sit in that mix as well? There's soon to be Smart #1, Volvo EX30 and Zeekr TBC all in the same segment and size of product. Struggling to see the clear differentiation between the brands. I fear Geely is making too many similar products in the same segment i.e. each brand makes their version of the same thing. The total market size is the same. You're just dividing the cake across 3 or 4 brands of your own and risking making enough / selling enough to robustly cover development expenditure. The hope is the subtle differences and in effect oversupply between each version of the same offer for the same market segment brings you more sales from competitors. It's the way VW behaves (VW, Seat, Skoda) and is a strategy that has come unstuck before. In contrast Toyota make a shedload more of a single product for the segment leading to greater profits and a faster recoup of the development costs.

 

[02s80]

Zeekr feels to me like a more affordable Polestar. It's being called a premium line. Lynk and Co. like a more affordable Volvo. The 09 is pretty premium. I'm not sure what Geely cars are, maybe somewhat like Hyundai? Geometry seem like more budget BEV cars. Yes, Geely lines can make sense in China but when exporting to Europe, not sure. I think Zeekr and Lynk and Co. in North America, should they ever come here, may take sales away from Volvo/Polestar.

 

[FusionRedXC60]

It is true that LynkCo and Geely cars got many features that only existed in luxury brand before. This is because of the fierce competition in China, same for other China domestic brands. For example, napa leather and panorama sunroof is very common on them, which usually is for luxury cars in America.

This definitely makes the difference much smaller between LynkCo and Volvo cars.
Volvo Scandinavian style is actually an disadvantage in such competition in China.
So LynkCo choose to go very different design style instead.

 

[Divaria]

This is what happens in the Netherlands, the top 10 car's
So Geely is doing great!!

 

[medels]

LynkCo to Zeekr are trying to create very different styles. They are on the fancy and wacky side. Volvo and Polestar are on the classic side and it is harder to tell between Volvo and Polestar than between LynkCo/Zeekr and Volvo/Polestar.

Zeekr seems to exists due to the poor EV sales associates with traditional car manufacturers in China,
Apparently to sale EV there you have to come with a tech oriented startup name.

Volvo EV sales is a mere 2% of its total volume in China in januari 2023
Compare to 25% in Europe or even 10% in the Tesla dominated US market.

The Zeekr 001? the 70 000 cars 2022 production was sold out some months after the brand was launched. Volvo? barely managed to sell 3 000 EV during the whole year on the chinese market.

IMHO the MPV things is a desperate move to try to boost Volvo image as a EV manufacturer with a regional specific vehicles.

 

[02s80]

I don't think Volvo's aesthetics and style fit the Chinese market. Yes, for some, you can make the wheelbase longer and some of the SUVs might have some appeal. But some homegrown Chinese brands are now building really advanced, premium BEVs. So something is shifting. I don't know if BMW, Audi, and the others are selling that great in China now either. This is a change that is hitting a lot of Euro makers.

Volvo may want to think of offering truly premium cars still priced less than the Germans but they may not be able to sell but so many. That's OK. 1 mil globally in a few years might be fine. And if you include Polestar as part of the group of Volvo/Polestar in Geely Group, they'll add some more. Volvo may be going all-EV too soon. Hard to tell as in China the infrastructure seems pretty far along and in some European countries it is as well. But in North America, maybe. And Europe is lagging in tech features behind China. Only Tesla is matching China and even Tesla's sales may be going down some so Tesla had to lower their prices. Hard to tell because there is so much fanboy noise around that brand.

Yeah, the Volvo MPV thing may not make a huge splash. You can't out-Zeekr Zeekr with a Zeekr in "Swedish clothes" that has an attempt at bling. Zeekr may be kind of Swedish in Chinese clothes. But, have to see what Volvo comes out with first. Then we'll see how the Chinese market reacts to it. Volvo may be better off with a very luxurious, extended wheelbase EX90 "Excellence" because it'll stand out. I think they should not have made it the 009 size, because it'll cost more and unless people see it as a much higher-rung product, what's the point of going with it instead of the Zeekr that already has a plush, modern interior and a ton of performance?

 

[FusionRedXC60]

Image. If Volvo can get more celebrities in Volvo MPV, it will really help Volvo sales. These people want high priced MPV than a Zeekr 009.

But this is a segment not very interesting to Volvo design team.

Sent from my moto g power (XT2041DL) using Tapatalk

 

[inteller]

"decent range"

AKA, this range is going to suck ass, but we are going to still charge you an ass ton for it.

small car means small battery because it is simply a matter of physics.

 

[rfkuehn]

Volvo EX30 Rendered Ahead Of June 2023 Debut

We’ve heard the new EX30 will ride on Geely’s SEA platform and will share the architecture with an upcoming subcompact EV crossover from Polestar.

www.motor1.com

 

[Bobberone]

So everything thinked and developed in China?
That explains EX90 interiors
Bad, sad.

 

[Mjoelnir]

So everything thinked and developed in China?
That explains EX90 interiors
Bad, sad.

• The articles says nothing about China
• The article says nothing about where the EX30 was thinked and developped
• The EX90 sits on a different platform, that's a different story
• Even if a platform is developped in China, it says nothing about where the interior styling was made. A minimalistic interior like the EX90 has, can also be designed/styled in Sweden. We have also seen such interiors in cars from USA, Germany and France.

 

[VolvoFaRmeR]

So everything thinked and developed in China?
That explains EX90 interiors
Bad, sad.

Ummmm no. It has been made clear that Sweden has full control over the company. It’s really getting tiresome to keep seeing these comments about “China” as nothing but negative. China single-handedly gave Volvo 11 billion dollars to build the SPA platform and look at the success. Why on earth does the location have anything to do with how the company designs cars? It doesn’t. Just like the quality of cars build in Chine are not only equal but higher because of newer technology.

 

[volvocu]

Some people can continue living in their Western bubbles, China has reached a level of advancement in automotive technology that can rival and even better established European brands in some areas. Wake up…

 

[02s80]

So everything thinked and developed in China?
That explains EX90 interiors
Bad, sad.

EX90 is not developed and thought out and designed in China.