Genesis EV will be small ‘crossover’

The global Genesis product portfolio will expand to six distinct models over the next 18 months, the company’s leading executive has confirmed in Korea this week.

And one of those six will be an electric vehicle in the ‘crossover’ mould – likely a small SUV dubbed the GV60, to sit below next year’s GV70 mid-sizer and the GV80 large SUV, which has just been launched in Korea and arrives in Australia around mid-2020.

“The GV70 will become available generally, within one year,” said William Lee, Head of Genesis, speaking with Australian journalists after the official launch presentation for the new Genesis GV80.

“In one year and a half we will have a total of six models, including three sedans, GV80 we [launched] today, GV70 and one electric vehicle, which is coming in the middle of next year.

“That’s not the end of the story for the long-term; we will deliver more product.”

Asked by carsales for more information concerning the electric vehicle, Lee replied: “Actually, it’s too early to say, but it’s for sure that it’s not a sedan; it’s a kind of crossover.”

Lee implied that the first Genesis EV would be based on the Hyundai Kona Electric, just as the GV70 is expected to be based on this year’s new Hyundai Tucson (the GV80 shares its platform with the next-generation G80 sedan).

“Our EV will be very [comparable],” he said.

Lee did not say whether the Genesis EV would also be available with conventional powertrains, which could make it a rival for small premium SUVs like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

However, he said that Genesis would not offer hybrids or plug-ins as an alternative to diesels or petrol-engined vehicles. Instead, the brand will focus its efforts on battery-electric vehicles as its first step away from fossil fuels.

“We go direct to EV,” he said. “[We will] skip hybrid.”