Amsterdam, a city where bikes outnumber inhabitants and roughly half of all commutes happen on two wheels, might seem like an odd choice of location to launch a new car brand, but Lynk & Co isn’t your typical car company. Part of the Geely/Volvo Group, Lynk & Co is trying to do things differently. First, by focusing on vehicle sharing instead of individual ownership, and second, by attracting potential customers through its own social “clubs.” The first club is now open in a historic building in central Amsterdam, six months before Lynk & Co’s first connected car — the 01 compact SUV hybrid or plug-in hybrid — begins shipping throughout Europe. Located just a short distance from Amsterdam’s Soho Club, the Amsterdam Club is the first of a handful of Lynk & Co Clubs that will open in Europe over the next year. The next Club opened in Lynk & Co’s home of Gothenburg, Sweden, in January 2021, with the Berlin Club opening mid-2021. But unlike other members-only clubs, Lynk & Co’s Clubs are open to everyone. Entering the Amsterdam Club has the feel of slipping past the velvet rope of a posh nightclub. It’s disorienting at first, making you wonder if you’re even allowed to be there. Is it a cafe? Is it a gallery? Is it a shop? A large bar, strategically positioned within view of the front door, sells juice and coffee. A nearby sign apologizes for the lack of food due to the latest round of COVID restrictions. The coffee is made from Swedish beans and served in ceramic cups made by local crafters. The barstools are covered with Lynk & Co’s own fabric sourced from recycled fishing nets — the same fabric used in the 01 SUV (which is located just out of sight in a chain-link cage, almost as if it’s an afterthought halfway to the back of the room). Vintage Japanese sneakers, local skateboards, chic sunglasses, custom denim, and bespoke jewelry are displayed throughout, on a melange of tables made from newspapers and crushed cars. A changing room, across from a private movie area hidden beneath the bleachers, is brightly lit in a blue and white cloud motif, specifically for Instagram. Everything is awash in moody lighting and ambient music, and everything is for sale, right on down to the giant sectional sofa. The entire layout is littered with architectural and design Easter eggs for members to discover. Finally, Lynk & Co’s location has an event space and a couple of meeting rooms which, when not being used by the company, can be used by members. The event space will be used by Lynk & Co to host anything from music events, intimate gigs, art exhibitions, and so on. ------- Lynk & Co is the streaming platform of mobility: a month-to-month membership that gives you a car and which you can cancel at any time. You can also share it with friends, family or whomever you want, really. That simple, yet groundbreaking idea is at the heart of Lynk & Co’s innovation. Here’s how it works: There are three types of Lynk & Co members. First, there’s the month-to-month subscriber who gets exclusive access to a car by paying €500 each month for a fully equipped 01 hybrid or plug-in hybrid. Month-to-month memberships can be canceled with only one month’s notice. The second type of member can buy the car outright and own it for a price of €39,000, but Lynk & Co believes that this latter model of traditional ownership is dying, and expects that most people will eventually “own” its cars via monthly subscriptions. The third type of so-called “free” members don’t pay anything until they want to rent someone’s 01, which is designed from the ground up to be shared. Hassle-free car sharing is a key perk for members, providing them with a sustainable way to reduce the number of individual cars on the road. Members with a car will be able to share it with friends, family, or other members to offset their monthly costs. To make it simple, Lynk & Co has developed a sharing platform that will let members manage bookings, share the car location, and send a digital key from their smartphones and in the car. Lynk & Co facilitates the sharing and covers the insurance (for the owner, renter, and third-party drivers) and scheduled maintenance of the cars. All Lynk & Co members get access to exclusive events, the car sharing platform, and a service package that includes insurance and maintenance. And yes, you also get a cool car for as long as you want. That’s how Lynk & Co is trying to make mobility better for everyone. ---------- Lynk & Co’s approach to sustainability goes beyond just the car. The company has worked to put sustainability at the core of their mission, basing the entire business model on the weird fact that the average car is only in use for 4% of the time and the rest of the time it just sits there – unused – taking up space. By using the sharing platform, members can share resources and reduce the overall number of cars on the street. With a focus on growing their membership community (not selling cars), Lynk & Co’s business model encourages a more efficient use of mobility. The membership model itself encourages people to share vehicles and reduces the overall number of cars on the road. The 01 will be offered exclusively in electrified powertrains, and the interior of the car will be outfitted in ECONYL®, a material made of recycled fishing lines and other waste material. ---------- In order for Lynk & Co’s idea of a better mobility solution to work the company needs to build a community of members, and the Member’s Club in Amsterdam stands at the center of this effort. The club certainly isn’t a car dealership, while the car is there, it’s largely a secondary or even tertiary element to what Lynk & Co is doing there. And it’s certainly more than a trendy place to swing by and have a coffee at. Sure, it’s a tiny part car showroom, but it’s also a coffee shop, art gallery, boutique, and event space. Anyone is welcome to stop by, browse the sustainable wares, have a refreshing beverage, and spend 20 minutes trying to find their way out the loos. The club is the centerplace of the Lynk & Co community, a hub where the company can showcase its partners, hold events, and connect with customers on a more personal level.