Genesis G80 EV 2022 Review

The regular Genesis G80 has stood out as something of a bargain in the large luxury sedan segment, bringing five metres of four-door for well under $100K.

There’s less of that sentiment with the EV version. The 2022 Genesis Electrified G80 starts at $145,000 plus on-road costs.

That makes it about $60,000 more expensive than the entry-level G80 and $44K more than the V6-powered all-wheel drive model it most closely compares with from a performance perspective.

Fortunately, there’s lots of gear for the money. Unlike many luxury brands, there’s no ticking boxes for options. The G80 Electrified comes as a one-size-fits-all proposition – and that size packs plenty in.

Standard fare includes 19-inch alloy wheels, smart key entry, a head-up display, Nappa leather, heated and ventilated front seats, electrically adjustable front seats, heated steering wheel, heated outboard seats, digital radio tuning, wireless phone charging and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

There are dual 9.2-inch entertainment screens in the rear as well as a wide 14.5-inch infotainment screen up front.

The roof also has solar panels incorporated so it can trickle-charge the 12V battery, in turn providing power for the air-conditioning when the car is stationary.

It’s a techy touch that could save a few Watt-hours of electricity when the sun is blaring – but it does nothing to extend the driving range of the car; the panels only produce a maximum of about 200W, so assuming you could get eight hours of maximum sunshine per day you’d need a couple of months (sans cloud or rain) to fully charge the high-voltage battery. 

The only choices come down to colours. Eight of the 11 available colours are standard, while three – including two matte hues – add $2000.

Inside, there are seven available trim and colour combinations, ranging from traditional (brown leather with dark woods) to somewhat bolder, such as the white leather with dark green dash and roof lining and forged wood highlights.

That forged wood is one of the more interesting finishes that was chosen for its sustainability. It’s made from birch offcuts used in the furniture-making business that are then compressed into something with interesting swirls and patterns.

The Electrified G80 also uses recycled plastics for the roof lining and floor mats, while the leather is dyed with natural colours.

The body, too, uses more aluminium than regular G80s in an effort to offset some of the weight of the batteries.

There’s also a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function that provides external 230V power to other items, whether it’s a laptop or camping gear; it can even (slowly) charge another EV.

The Electrified G80 is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, although there is a 130,000km limit if you use the car for commercial purposes, such as hire car or ride-share duties.

The battery is covered for eight years, while servicing is included for the first five years or 75,000km.

Plus owners get to choose between having a wallbox charger installed at their home or free charging across the Chargefox network for five years (the latter is handy for those with no off-street parking or if they’ve already got home charging sorted).

Omissions include a digital instrument cluster (instead there’s a 3D effect added to a mostly analogue cluster) and sunroof (the solar roof takes care of that one).

There’s also no spare wheel, with a repair kit in its place.

The 2022 Genesis Electrified G80 doesn’t deviate wildly from the regular G80 in terms of its basics.

The fresher Genesis GV60 shows how radical the Hyundai-owned luxury brand is willing to go with its new electric tech (crystal sphere anyone?).

But the Genesis Electrified G80 plays a more traditional game with its switchgear and technology. A circular touch dial controls most infotainment functions and there’s an easy-to-digest collection of buttons that makes operating the main functions a snip.

The 14.5-inch infotainment screen works as a touch-screen or you can scroll and swipe through the main controller.

There’s also a crisp, punchy 20-speaker Lexicon sound system with three speakers in each door, a centre speaker on the dash and large speakers on the parcel shelf.

All up there’s not a whole lot missing, although the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity requires a cable (it’s part of a barny playing out between the Hyundai Group and Apple over what the default navigation system should be when that wireless connectivity is active). That makes the wireless phone charging somewhat less useful.

There’s no shortage of active safety systems and associated acronyms in the Electrified G80, which is unrated by ANCAP (four-cylinder versions of the regular G80 get a 2021 five-star rating, but V6 and EV models miss out).

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) operates when driving forward or in reverse. There’s also rear cross traffic alert and blind spot warning.

When reversing, bright lights are projected onto the road behind the car to warn pedestrians and cyclists that the car is heading their way.

There’s also eye tracking to ensure the driver is looking at the road, with associated warnings if they’re not.

The adaptive cruise control for the Electrified G80 even uses artificial intelligence to learn your style, subtly adjusting things such as how quickly it changes speed and how close it will follow the car ahead.

Some of the tech seems over-thought. The 3D instrument cluster falls into that category. With eye tracking to provide additional depth to the mostly analogue instruments, it seems a digital display would have been easier and offered more functionality.

The 2022 Genesis G80 Electrified replaces its ICE options with a pair of electric motors.

Genesis says the battery pack and motors are arranged in a skateboard configuration, with four wheels attached to a neat-looking board that houses batteries and motors.

That usually suggests the car was created from the outset as an EV. But the G80 Electrified uses mostly the same body (albeit with more aluminium) as other G80 models, with the compromises that typically brings (we’ll get to them…).

Between those motors there’s a combined output of 272kW and 700Nm.

It’s that latter figure that defines how the G80 Electrified drives. Punch the throttle and there’s an enthusiastic surge forward. There’s impressive thrust that belies the conservative big sedan shape.

This thing is fast – and having drive going to all four wheels means little chance of wheelspin, even on wet bitumen.

As for the modes, there are big differences between them.

In Eco only the rear motor operates, the decoupling of the front motor not only reducing how much electricity you can suck out of the system but also reducing drag to extend the driving range.

So there’s a lot less pull, albeit while still providing plenty for suburban duties.

In some ways, the more relaxed throttle response and lower outputs of the Eco setting meld with the character of the car – especially if you’ve got passengers more interested in relaxing than being thrilled.

The Comfort mode is a nice blend although still keeps the throttle response relatively soft.

It’s not until you dial up Sport that you get the angrier initial hit of torque that makes darting into gaps that little bit easier.

The Electrified G80 is quiet, too, the faint zing of the motors blending with an even fainter rustle of wind rushing past the cabin.

The claimed WLTP distance between charges is 520km and electricity use is claimed at 19.1kWh per 100km.

As with other EVs using Hyundai/Kia’s E-GMP architecture, the Genesis Electrified G80 can charge at the more common 400V or up to 800V, the latter a trick of higher-output chargers to double the charging power.

The 87.2kWh battery can charge at up to about 240kW (Genesis claims the car can charge at up to 350kW, but that’s not the case). It means a fast charge from 10-80 per cent can take as little as 22 minutes.

Using an 11kW AC home charger would take eight hours for a full charge – or 12 hours using the more common 7.4kW wallbox chargers.

A regular home 230V power point would take more like 40 hours. As with most EVs, though, a 12-hour overnight charge would provide well over 100km of driving.

The 2022 Genesis G80 Electrified is tuned more towards the plush side of the driving ledger, although there’s still dynamic talent hidden away.

It starts with the 19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. They’re 245mm wide up front and a broad 275mm at the rear. And there’s no shortage of traction, something that allows some deceptively spirited cornering.

There are caveats, such as which drive mode you choose.

In Comfort, for example, the coil spring suspension is not as well controlled by the adjustable dampers. There’s more floating over bumps as it works to soak things up rather than settle the body.

The Sport mode brings that added control, albeit with a stiffening of the ride. But it’s still relatively plush, making for comfortable touring.

Those dampers also glean information from the forward-facing camera as part of the Road-Preview Electronic Control Suspension (or Preview ECS). It essentially pre-prepares the dampers for larger imperfections, with the aim of reducing the jolt sent into the cabin.

Don’t go expecting those bumps to melt into the bitumen, though. The laws of physics still apply and it’s still coil springs ultimately dealing with them. However, there are instances where the initial hit is less severe than it otherwise may have been.

As for delivering on limousine comfort, it to some extent depends where you sit.

Up front there’s a stately view with lashings of space. But in the back seat there’s not the same sprawling room of other lengthy sedans (ones that, admittedly, cost a whole lot more).

Those in the rear get all the trinkets – infotainment screens, comprehensive infotainment controls and a plush arm rest – but miss out on abundant legroom to make the most of it. Headroom could also cause some stooping for the taller people back there.

The boot has taken a space hit in the EV switch, too. A cylindrical bulge sits between the rear wheels as a cover for the electric motor. It takes the G80’s boot capacity from 424 litres in ICE guise to 354L as an EV.

Again, it’s a negative of starting the EV story from an ICE origin.

The 2022 Genesis Electrified G80 is a car with lots going for it – but there are ICE compromises that diminish its appeal.

In an era where parent company Hyundai can create a Tardis-like back seat for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 SUV that is half the price, the tighter cabin of the Electrified G80 seems old hat – even with the extra trinkets to keep the tribe tinkering.

Throw in the old-school big four-door body and it’s one for the traditionalists rather than those trying to shout EV at every corner.

The sizeable price premium for the EV version of the G80 also pops it in some rarefied electric air and pushes it close to some seriously impressive machines that benefit from being designed from the outset as an EV.

That said, the fiery all-electric acceleration and lengthy driving range make it a tempting proposition for those used to slower petrol-fuelled luxury machines.

But as with the car it’s based on, expect the Genesis Electrified G80 to be a niche within the limousine niche it plays in.

How much does the 2022 Genesis Electrified G80 cost?
Price: $145,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Drivetrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output: 272kW/700Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 87.2kWh lithium-ion polymer
Range: 520km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 19.1kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested

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