Genesis Electrified G80: Silent gliding in full service

Since 2015, Genesis no longer just stands for something newly emerging or for the story of creation, the first book of the Old Testament. The legendary rock band of the 1970s, which officially disbanded last March after a memorable farewell concert, does not have to be meant either. Genesis is also the name of the luxury brand of the Hyundai Group, which wants to convince with comfortable, technically high-quality models and as a specialty places a special focus on the time management of its customers.

“A Genesis customer never sees the inside of a workshop,” says Piergiorgio Cecco, Managing Director of Genesis Motor Switzerland. “His personal assistant takes care of the entire organization of the vehicle service – including providing a replacement car and picking up and returning the car.” After all, the customer has more important things to do than taking care of vehicle maintenance.

Electrifying times

Of course, the brand with the special customer service is currently experiencing the same thing as all car manufacturers: In order to meet the target values ​​for CO₂emissions, the vehicle drives must be electrified quickly and extensively. With the new model now being presented, which is somewhat unwieldy called the Electrified G80, Genesis is showing how elegantly such a leap in technology can be implemented.

Just a few weeks ago, the G80 was a large, comfortable sedan with a 2.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine that delivered a maximum torque of 422 Nm and a maximum output of 304 hp via an 8-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels or all four wheels.

Now the electrified new edition, which has only changed slightly on the outside, is rolling out onto the road, at 5.00 meters the same length and at 3.01 meters with an unchanged wheelbase. However, both axles are now driven by two electric motors, which together generate 272 kW and make a torque of 700 Nm available. With a storage capacity of 87 kWh, the lithium-ion battery enables a range of up to 520 kilometers. And thanks to the 800 volt electrical architecture, charging the battery from 10 to 80 percent at the 350 kW fast charging station takes just under 22 minutes. The Electrified G80 can be charged from 10 to 100 percent in just over 7 hours on the 11 kW wall box.

In addition to the charging cable, the optional solar roof also provides electricity. According to the manufacturer, it can produce energy for a range of more than 1000 kilometers over the course of a year. Another feature of the Elektro-Genesis is its vehicle-to-load function, thanks to which it can be used as a mobile power source – for example when camping as a charging station for the coffee machine, laptop or e-bike.

Concentration on three regions

Currently, Genesis focuses on the areas of South Korea, USA and Europe. The Koreans recently ushered in the electric age with the GV60, now the higher segments are following step by step with the Electrified G80 and soon with the Electrified GV70. From 2025, all Genesis models will be electrically powered.

Luc Donckerwolke, the creative director of the Genesis brand, describes the brand’s design language as “athletic elegance”. It came about as a result of the collaboration between designers and engineers from the research and development center in Namyang, South Korea, and their European colleagues in Rüsselsheim. The new model features a grille with a flush aerodynamic surface, two-tone grille surround and a virtually invisible charge port door. Thanks to underbody panels and aerodynamically optimized 19-inch light-alloy wheels in turbine design, a favorable drag coefficient c_W of 0.26 achieved.

Despite the reduced weight of the body shell due to more high-strength steels, the Electrified G80 weighs 2325 kilograms unladen, almost 400 kilograms more than its predecessor with a conventional drive. This additional weight may have a slightly negative effect on energy consumption, but in terms of driving comfort, the additional kilograms are more beneficial to the vehicle.

Comfort is also enhanced by the preview suspension system, which detects the area ahead and adjusts the damper control at lightning speed, as well as the active road noise suppression, which measures wheel vibrations and generates counter-frequencies to minimize drone noise.

Feel-good interior

On the first test drive, the car not only impressed with its remarkable rolling and suspension comfort, but also with the extremely low noise level in the interior. You can also quickly convince yourself of the quality of the interior. Naturally colored leather upholstery on the seats and panels and trim strips made from recycled wood convey a luxurious appearance and at the same time sustainability.

In the interior, “technology should not dominate, but only be present when it is needed”, is the motto. The 14.5-inch infotainment screen and the 12.3-inch instrument cluster with 3D display inform the driver, and the steering wheel is divided into an upper panorama and a lower control half, which supports intuitive operation. In addition, the number of buttons and switches has been reduced to a minimum.

The two high-revving traction motors also make a significant contribution to low-noise driving. At full acceleration, it only takes 4.9 seconds to reach 100 km/h and a top speed of 225 km/h is possible. However, cruising can also be done with less power if the disconnector actuator system ensures that the front motor is separated from the drive wheels and only the rear wheels take over the propulsion. The i-Pedal mode, which enables relaxed 1-pedal driving, also contributes to drive efficiency. The degree of recuperation can be adjusted in three stages using the shift paddles on the steering wheel.

With four driving programs, the driving experience can be adapted to the conditions and the driver’s wishes. Also integrated into the drive and chassis system is the torque vectoring torque control for more agile cornering, and of course all common assistance systems support safety and comfort.

The price for the Electrified G80 in the Luxury equipment is 76,100 francs. Included is a five-year Ionity subscription. In addition, several option packages are available.