Genesis unveils its first electric luxury sedan at Shanghai Auto Show

Hyundai Motor Group’s luxury brand Genesis has made its first appearance at the Shanghai Auto Show, debuting the company’s first EV model, the Electrified G80 luxury electric sedan, and presenting the Genesis X Concept.

Genesis says it hopes that the Electrified G80 will deliver a “new standard for luxury electric sedans”. It is available only as an all-wheel drive and boasts two 136kW/350Nm motors at the front and rear wheels delivering powerful performance of 272kW and 700Nm torque.

Able to sprint from 0 to 100km/h just in 4.9 seconds, the Electrified G80 boasts an estimated maximum range of more than 500-kilometres – however, this is based on the notoriously inaccurate NEDC standard, and the company seems compelled to add that maximum range based on the Korean EV certification system is only 427-kilometres.

“Today is very special because it represents a variety of firsts for the Genesis brand,” said Jay Chang, Global Head of the Genesis brand.

“Not only because this is Genesis’ very first appearance at the Auto Shanghai, but it is also the first time we are unveiling a new product outside of Korea. 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.”

The Electrified G80 also features a 400V/800V multi rapid charging system which allows customers to use various charging infrastructures.

Its driving motor and inverter can provide more stable charging by boosting the level of voltage from 400V to 800V – a more optimised level for the system – and Electrified G80 owners can use both the 400V and 800V rapid charging system without an additional converter.

Genesis has also built Vehicle to Load (V2L) features into the Electrified G80, which enables owners to use electric power of 3.6kW to power external electrical devices from its battery pack, similar to Hyundai’s new Ioniq 5.

A Disconnector Actuator System (DAS) can automatically connect or disconnect the motor and drive shaft based on various driving conditions, including vehicle speed and driving mode, so as to provide a seamless switching between 2WD and AWD.

Another feature, surprisingly buried deep within the company’s press release, is that the Electrified G80 will also include a solar roof which will generate electricity to increase the vehicle’s energy efficiency.

Also, a number of natural and recycled materials are used through the vehicle’s interior, including leather for the seats, console, and rear armrests, as well as an eco-friendly “forged wood” garnish which is made from recycled pieces of wood from the furniture manufacturing process, and environmentally friendly fabric made from recycled PET.

Genesis’ first trip to the Shanghai Auto Show was accompanied by a livestream on the company’s YouTube channel, and while the company exhibited a total of eight of its models, undoubtedly the highlight was the Genesis X Concept.