Genesis races to produce hybrid versions of every model in wake of EV slowdown

Genesis has announced it is switching its global strategy to ensure it produces “as many hybrids as possible” in response to the global slowdown in EV uptake.

The Hyundai luxury brand currently doesn’t offer any hybrid vehicles but that will change, possibly as soon as next year, with the introduction of a new range-extender hybrid version of its mid-size GV70 SUV.

Originally, Genesis said it would launch electric-only cars from 2025 with the promise of eight all-new EVs introduced from 2022 until 2030, with the brand rushing to introduce the GV60 small SUV, Electrified GV70 mid-size SUV and the Electrified G80 large sedan.

READ MORE: Global EV sales outlook gloomy for 2024.

READ MORE: Pimpmobile Genesis Neolun Concept forecasts the 2025 GV90 giant electric SUV.

Now Genesis will develop and roll-out as many hybrids as possible before switching back to its EV-only plan at a later date.

“Customers now want hybrid more than EV,” the global head of Genesis, Mike Song, told Top Gear at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he admitted that Hyundai’s premium brand thought the “EV era would arrive very quickly”.

Song said the original 2025 EV-only plan was aimed to ensure that Genesis would be both a “leader and disruptor in the EV space”, but that a different plan was now needed.

He said Genesis will now develop “as many models as possible” but did not reveal which electrified vehicles were coming and when.

Genesis has been toying with expanding into hybrids for some time, explaining why both the wild 2024 787kW Genesis X Gran Berlinetta and the even wilder 2023 1148kW Genesis X Gran Racer Vision GT hypercar concepts both came with a new hybrid V6 powertrain, rather than pure-electric power.

It’s expected the most powerful V6 hybrid powertrain will reach production and possibly even power either a high-performance Magma model or be detuned for cars like the most luxurious G80 limo.