Genesis Electrified G80 revealed, EV in Australia early 2022

Hyundai-owned luxury brand Genesis has unveiled its first electric car headed for showrooms, the unimaginatively named Electrified G80.

While Genesis has created electric concept cars previously – including the stunning Coupe X and Mint – the Electrified G80 is the first set for showrooms. While the focus for the G80 EV is on China, Australian arrivals are confirmed, the car due early in 2022.

The Electrified G80 and other anticipated EV models are a crucial new arrival in Genesis’s quest to capture 10 percent of the luxury car segment.

“Today is very special because it represents a variety of firsts … it is also the first time we are unveiling a new product outside of Korea,” said Jay Chang, global head of the Genesis brand.

“The Electrified G80, the perfect balance of athleticism and elegance, marks the beginning of our journey into the EV market, representing Genesis in the era of electrification.”

Based on the large G80 sedan that has proved popular with hire car operators in Australia, the Electrified G80 replaces petrol engines with twin electric motors.

Each motor makes 136kW and 350Nm for a combined 272kW and 700Nm.

The Hyundai-owned luxury brand says that’s enough to launch the large four-door to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds.

While the default drive mode for the G80 Electrified is to send power to allfour wheels – maximising traction and performance – Genesis says there is a “Disconnector Actuator System” that can temporarily disable one of the motors and revert the car to two-wheel drive, “to reduce unnecessary power loss and increase efficiency”.

No word on the size of the battery pack for the Electrified G80, but it’s claimed to have an EV range of about 500km when using the notoriously optimistic NEDC standard; expect closer to 400km in the real world.

Like the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 – Hyundai, Kia and Genesis are all part of the Hyundai Group – the G80 EV will have the same 800V electrical system that can also utilise 400V DC charging. The maximum charging capacity is 350kW.

A 10-80 percent charge can be performed in as little as 22 minutes.

A trickle charge can also be provided from the solar panels built into the sunroof.

The G80 Electrified uses the same basic body as the regular G80, however, the grille is very different and mostly closed, something that would likely improve aerodynamic efficiency. That grille also hides the door to the charging plug.

The EV G80 will also be offered in an exclusive colour, Matira Blue, as well as a two-tone white/green interior.

Inside, too, there are other changes for the electric model.

The interior is all about sustainability and even includes recycled wood. Claimed to be “eco-friendly”, the “forged wood” is manufactured from offcuts used in furniture manufacturing.

The G80 EV also uses natural dyes to colour the leather as well as various recycled materials, including a fabric made from recycled PET bottles.

No word yet on how much the Electrified G80 will cost, although it’s likely to be north of the $99,900 (plus on-road costs) for the top-of-the-range G80 3.5T AWD. Best guesses are that it will also surpass the $108,600 for the most expensive model in the Genesis lineup, the GV80 3.5T AWD large SUV.

What’s trickier to work out is how it will sell.

The G80 plays in a dwindling market segment – large luxury sedans and limousines – and it’s a minnow in terms of sales, not even cracking triple figures in the annual sales race.

However, if hire car operators can see a benefit in overall running costs – charging costs of the Electrified G80 should comfortably undercut petrol costs of the regular G80, and servicing should also be cheaper – there could be some tempted to spend more up front.

Still, expect it to be a relatively low volume car.

But it’s the start of a more concerted EV effort from the aspirational Korean luxury player.

Genesis is expected to go on an EV offensive over the next couple of years, including an EV version of the upcoming GV70 mid-sized SUV; that car is expected to be called the eGV70.

The only clue the company gave to the upcoming electric models was: “Electrification is one of the key strategies for Genesis as it aims to design and provide new experiences for customers with its luxury EV models.”