Genesis details full specifications of GV60 electric crossover, Australian launch set for 2022

The Genesis GV60. Images: Genesis

• The GV60 will offer a 77.4 kWh battery in two variants

• 168 kW/350Nm single-motor rear wheel drive variant with 451 km WLTP range

• 234 kW/605 Nm dual-motor all wheel drive variant with 400 km WLTP range

• 320 kW/605 Nm dual-motor performance variant with 368 km WLTP range to come later

• The GV60 is based on Hyundai’s new dedicated electric architecture dubbed E-GMP

• GV60 to launch in Australia in the first half of 2022

Genesis has premiered its GV60 electric crossover in a film on the Genesis Worldwide YouTube channel (full video below). Like its IONIQ 5 cousin, the GV60 features a large clamshell bonnet, tying together familiar Genesis design cues such as the “two lines” light clusters. Compared to the IONIQ 5, the GV60’s body surfacing is clean and simple, though we personally prefer Hyundai’s retro look.

A peculiar V shape cut-out in chrome is visible on the car’s C-pillar; we suspect this — alongside the bug-eyed look — will fare much better in person than in images. Genesis’ designers have expertly steered the brand into the premium market with its other models, so we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt until we can see this in person.

Genesis GV60 Image Gallery

The media release from Genesis notes digital side mirrors will be available; an omission from Hyundai for the Australian market, and a point of differentiation between the two cars. Further cues that the GV60 is being positioned as an upscale IONIQ5/EV6 alternative can be found on the inside. A floating console with a “crystal sphere” (is it real crystal?) functions as the drive controller, and material quality and detailing appears to be a cut above the aforementioned related vehicles.

Five interior colours will be available, including Obsidian Black, Torrent Navy, Ash Gray/Glacier White, Monstera Green/Camel Beige and Monstera Green/Glassier White. In a world where manufacturers are increasingly limiting consumer choice to save costs and complexity, it’s nice to see Genesis continuing with really interesting trim colour combinations.

A luxurious interior with bold colour options.

Innovative Technology in the Genesis GV60

Haven’t you always wanted biometric authentication in your car? No? Well Genesis is offering it anyway, with the GV60 to debut a Fingerprint Authentication System, and Face Connect. As soon as a driver touches the door handle, the latter feature recognises the driver’s face and unlocks the GV60 without a key. All interior settings and positions can also be adjusted based on a driver’s face profile.

Over The Air (OTA) software updates are also promised for the GV60, though we’re uncertain whether this will make it to Australia, given that Hyundai has confirmed the IONIQ 5 will miss out on this. In markets where it is available, the technology will be used to update infotainment system features, such as navigation, the digital instrument cluster, and the Head-Up-Display (HUD), as well as the electric vehicle integrated control device, suspension, brakes, steering wheel, airbags, and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems).

The GV60 will debut Genesis’ ccIC (Connected Car Integrated Cockpit) which links clusters and navigation into a panoramic display according to the company. There is seamless connectivity between the HUD, driver information display and navigation system.

Relaxation comfort seats, similar to the “zero gravity” seats in the IONIQ 5 will be available, and the GV60 debuts a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, a first for the brand.

We’ve imagined the GV60 in a more conservative, Genesis-like colour.

Battery and drive technology in the GV60

Genesis plans to use only the largest battery configuration currently available on the E-GMP platform architecture, which is the 77.4 kWh unit available in Kia’s EV6. Rear wheel drive is standard, and Genesis quotes a WLTP combined range of 451 km (280 miles) per charge. Not much is known about the performance variant, except that Genesis has said it will feature two 160 kW motors, and “is an ideal option for customers seeking a fun driving experience”.

This is less power than Kia’s monstrous 430 kW EV6 GT, but still incredibly potent. We’re betting that a slightly less powerful but still potent N Performance variant of Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 will eventually make it to market.

The GV60 also features a Boost Mode button on the steering wheel, activating additional performance for 10 seconds. This enables a launch time of 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 4.0 seconds. A Drift Mode is also included, which provides — we can only assume — the ability to drift. Genesis states that this mode will enable “athletic driving by optimising distribution of driving power and braking system.”

The GV60 is also the first E-GMP-based vehicle to feature battery conditioning — something we’ve come to expect from the likes of Tesla — whereby the battery’s temperature is optimised for charging if a driver sets a DC fast-charging station as a navigation destination, allowing for optimal charging time and performance.

In a statement from Hyundai Australia, the company outlined that the GV60 will launch locally (Australia) in the first half of 2022. The spokesperson went on to say that “Three all-electric Genesis vehicles will launch locally in the first half of 2022 - GV60, Electrified G80 sedan, and one yet to be announced”

GV60 Australian specifications will be communicated closer to launch next year.

Genesis to be EV only brand; plans for 100% zero emission line-up by 2030

The Genesis GV60 electric crossover retains familiar design details.

• Under Genesis’ electrification strategy, all new vehicles will be purely electric starting from 2025 with fuel cell EVs and battery EVs

• Genesis has big plans to become a 100 percent zero-emission vehicle brand by 2030 and also aims to become carbon neutral by 2035

Genesis is a brand aspiring to establish itself amongst the big volume luxury players such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, as well as other premium brands like Jaguar, Volvo, Lexus and Alfa Romeo. The automaker — a subsidiary of Hyundai — now has some recognisable design cues such as the Two Lines headlight theme, but its first all-electric vehicle based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform — the Genesis GV60 — pushes aesthetic boundaries further with its purposeful, sporty stance and not-quite-an-SUV appearance.

We like the rear design of the GV60, with its muscular rear lights and full length brake light.

Genesis announced its electrification strategy yesterday, promising that all new vehicles from 2025 will be purely electric, comprising a combination of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs). Genesis claims it will devote resources to building next-generation technology to maximise performance and efficiency from lithium-ion batteries.

Furthermore, the automaker announced it will be a 100 percent zero-emission vehicle brand by 2030, and a carbon neutral brand by 2035.

The GV60 in side profile.

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung said in the launch video that “Genesis has been on an intensive, bold and successful journey, successfully establishing itself as a truly global luxury brand,” said Euisun Chung. “Genesis is once again at the starting point of another audacious journey - the journey towards a sustainable future.”

Jay Chang, Global Head of Genesis said “As we continue to design a new dimension of customer experience and build an authentic relationship with our customers, Genesis will take audacious steps to lead the age of electrification into the sustainable future.”

Genesis plans to differentiate itself from sister brands Hyundai and Kia by pushing the design, luxury, and technological bona fides of its line-up. The automaker will begin a trial of wireless vehicle charging in South Korea next year, and Genesis wants to be considered a serious luxury manufacturer, as evidenced by its use of high-grade cabin materials. “Our new electric lineup is the perfect platform to increase our interface with our customers,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis. “We aim to interact with all their senses. Our new architecture will integrate audacious technologies with breathtaking designs while providing sincere detail-oriented experiences. Warm and exquisite care will be our differentiator.”

The interior of the Genesis GV60

Genesis’ Crystal Sphere drive controller.

In the below teaser image, we can clearly see the X Concept two-door concept vehicle, flanked by a number of coupes, sedans and SUVs. While we can expect many of these to be E-GMP-based, it is expected that the Hyundai Motor Group will unveil an additional modular electric architecture to support the rollout of larger SUVs and sedans in the future. In the short term however, expect an electrified version of the petrol GV70 SUV, and the G80 Electrified from 2022.

Genesis teases a full range of EVs, as the company plans to ditch internal combustion engines by 2030.

Genesis reveals official images of E-GMP based GV60 electric crossover

The Genesis GV60 exterior. Images: Genesis

Genesis has released official images of the new GV60 all electric crossover today, less than a week after we caught a prototype testing in Sydney, Australia. Based on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform (which we seem to be writing about every other day on this site), The GV60 is an upmarket version of Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and Kia’s EV6.

Exterior Styling of the GV60

Let’s start on the outside of the GV60, because the design language is quite radical. Sure, there’s the double-slit head and tail lamps that are familiar visual cues from other Genesis models, but the GV60 looks nothing like other vehicles from the brand’s range.

Certainly less brute-ish and more futuristic than the GV70 and GV90 petrol SUVs, the GV60 echoes the Kia EV6’s “sporty crossover coupe” design language, with a sloping clamshell hood, long wheelbase, and high, raked rear end.

A frontal grille-like area dominates the nose of the GV60, however the majority of the blacked-out structure is closed off for improved aerodynamics. A coloured ring defines the front, dividing the black grille into two portions, the lower of which mimics the shape of a modern aircraft’s wings, complete with winglets.

Contrasting arches and lower mouldings define the lower structure of the GV60, and give that off-road appearance, though we expect the higher specification models to feature body-coloured paintwork on these trim pieces.

View fullsize

This Genesis GV60 Prototype features the same 21” alloy wheels as the vehicle in the press photos.

The glasshouse area is very similar to Kia’s EV6 in our minds, but the sharp wedge in the C-pillar is an attention grabbing design element. The large rear-glass area, ducktail spoiler with integrated LED brake light, and squared-off rear remind us of a cross between Mercedes-Benz’s GLE Coupe, and a Baja Beetle (call us crazy!)

The wheels on the GV60 in the media release are the same 21” design as fitted to the prototype we spotted last week.

Genesis presents its next generation of interior luxury

While the lime green exterior/blue interior may not be to everybody’s tastes, there’s an undeniable luxury to the interior of the GV60. Again there’s a familiarity here from Kia and Hyundai’s siblings - the dual-screen setup, the placement of important switchgear, and the floating centre console, but Genesis has clearly overhauled the interior architecture to suit its market positioning.

Firstly, there’s the digital side mirrors that we’ve seen from Korean and European market Hyundai IONIQ 5s, which almost certainly won’t make it to the USA or Australia just yet. The seats appear to be a high-grade nappa leather (we hope to see an animal-free interior option too), and there’s leather or fake leather with contrasting stitching adorning the dash, armrests, and upper door cards. The climate control setup receives a larger screen the the IONIQ 5, and pleasingly, there are a number of physical buttons present. The same goes for the steering wheel; Genesis has opted for actual buttons, rather than touch-sensitive items. There’s a drive mode button and boost button, likely to provide an additional hit of torque for a limited period, similar to Porsche’s Taycan.

The GV60 features an interior with lots of pleasing details.

All the switchgear is metallic, or at least in a metallic finish, and the textured knurling on these elements is a lovely, tactile touch that evokes a Bentley’s interior. In fact, call us crazy, but Genesis appears to be aiming to create an interior that offers a lot of similarities to something coming out of Crewe, at a much more pocket friendly pricepoint.

The IONIQ 5’s storage drawer remains, and there’s a floating centre console, which appears to be fixed. This design still allows for plenty of storage, and a flat passenger footwell. Atop the console is a wireless charging pad, media controller, and Genesis’ “Crystal Sphere” Shift By Wire drive controller. Genesis states that this controller becomes the vehicle’s mood lights before the GV60 is started, creating a pleasing interior atmosphere, and a little bit of theatre as the orb rotates and glows prior to powering on.

Digital side mirriors will likely be unavailable on the GV60 outside Korea and Europe.

Drivetrain of the GV60

While Genesis has yet to publish drivetrain information, as stated in our previous article, we know that the company has had three variants certified under Korea’s Noise and Emissions Certification process.

• GV60 base model: 169 kW (226 hp)

• GV60 all-wheel-drive long-range model: 242 kW (325 hp)

• GV60 all-wheel-drive high specification model: 325 kW (436 hp)

At this stage, it’s unclear which models are destined for foreign markets, but we’re certainly excited to finally see the GV60 uncovered in any case. While the design may not be to everyone’s tastes, We’ll have to wait until images of different colours and specification grades are made available, before passing judgement. Hopefully we’ll be able to catch a look at a pre-production version later this year, before the crossover goes on sale sometime in 2022.