Capping what has been a month of significant EV debuts and announcements, Genesis formally unveiled its first “dedicated” battery-electric vehicle during a ceremony in Seoul.
While Genesis actually will come to market first with a BEV version of its midrange sedan, the Electrified G80, the GV60 will become the automaker’s first all-electric model to use a specially designed, skateboard-like platform. That approach will help yield significantly more passenger and cargo space, while it “maximizes … range and performance,” according to the company.
“The GV60 is the first dedicated EV model with the most dynamic design, representing Genesis’ electrification,” said Jay Chang, global head of Genesis brand. “It will set a new standard for luxury electric vehicles with a powerful driving performance and various key features based on interactions with customers.”
Earlier experiences
Genesis offered a glimpse of the GV60 in mid-August, but it is only now revealing specific details, including the estimated range versions of the BEV will deliver. The base, rear-wheel-drive model using a single electric motor is expected to yield 451 kilometers, or 280 miles, per charge from its 77.4 kilowatt-hour battery pack. It makes 318 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque.
The performance model adds a second motor on the front axle, output jumping to 435 hp, though maximum torque remains the same. This package does give drivers a “Boost Mode” allowing power to increase for a maximum 10 seconds. In Boost, the GV60 will launch from 0 to 100 kmh, or 0 to 62 mph, in 4 seconds. Range dips to an estimated 229 miles.
All range numbers are based on the global WLTP standard and can be expected to drop when using the U.S. standard EPA test cycle.
The Genesis GV60 is based on the same E-GMP, or Electric-Global Modular Platform, underpinning upcoming products like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The key feature is the way batteries and motors are mounted below the load floor. That frees up space normally used for an engine compartment, allowing for more passenger and cargo space, despite a smaller vehicle footprint. It also lowers the center of gravity, helping improve handling.
The E-GMP architecture not only can vary its powertrain layout but, for Genesis, has been optimized for the sort of ride and handling luxury buyers expect, brand officials said. One visual cue is the larger lower grille on the GV60 which, will “increase the cooling efficiency of the high-voltage batteries in the underbody,” Genesis officials said, allowing for the use of the Boost Mode.
New vehicle with some familiar design cues
The crossover picks up on key styling cues seen on current Genesis products, including the modified version of the signature “Crest Grille.” The GV60 also retains the brand’s now-familiar two-line quad headlamps. But, viewed from the side, the new BEV will offer a more coupe-like profile than the gas-powered GV70 and GV80 crossovers. It also adopts a clamshell-style hood that incorporates the fenders to reduce the number of body panel cut lines.
To enhance performance and handling, the GV60 will offer an electronic-Limited Slip Differential. Meanwhile, it picks up a trick normally used to reduce fuel consumption on gas-powered vehicles. The Disconnector Actuator System on the all-wheel-drive package disconnects the motor and drive shaft when power demands are light, reducing friction and improving range.
The MacPherson front and multi-link rear suspension also gets a high-tech boost from the Preview Electronic Control System which uses both a front camera and the onboard navigation to help adjust the car’s variable damping to prepare for things like speed bumps and potholes.
While EVs are, by nature, quieter than vehicles using internal combustion engines, an active noise control system will help tune out road noise, Genesis said. Meanwhile, the electric-Active Sound Design will provide a choice of several “virtual” sounds that are meant to enhance the driving experience, especially under hard acceleration.
The GV60 will offer a head-up display unit, as well as what Genesis bills as a “next-generation infotainment system.” It can be paired to the battery drive technology, said the automaker in a statement to “allow drivers to optimize battery conditions while searching for a fast-charging station on the navigation.”
Charging flexibility
In an unusual move, parent Hyundai Motor Group opted to use an electronic architecture for the E-GMP platform that can operate at either 400 or 800 volts. That allows for “ultra-speed charging” when the latest, 350 kilowatt charger is plugged in — the battery pack going from 10 to 80% of capacity in 18 minutes.
Genesis did not provide specific times for using a 240-volt Level 2 system, like those many EV owners are installing. It did note the use of a new, higher-power onboard system to reduce charging times.
The GV60 will offer an extensive array of advance driver assistance systems, as well as eight airbags. During the Seoul debut, Genesis noted that some specifications will change, depending on individual markets. Specifics for the U.S. have yet to be released, including pricing and the exact timing of its American launch. The automaker previously said the Genesis GV60 will reach showrooms here “sometime” next year.
