We know that the more affordable and compact 800V EVs such as the IONIQ 3 and the EV4 are coming but weren't sure what Genesis's take on the matter would be until now! Meet the fancier version with the NMC battery!
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Have you ever wished for something like Genesis’s beautiful yet practical G70 Shooting Brake, yet only hoped that it was electric? Especially for those of you that are in Europe?
Well, your wish may come true once again, from a company that has consistently delivered on what people ask for, as evident by bringing into the market models such as the Kia Stinger from the Kia GT concept, and the Hyundai Santa Cruz from the concept of the same name?
The notion of asking and you will receive is expected to come to fruition once again, and this time in a great-looking electric hatchback from Genesis, of all brands, surprisingly.
While the G60 would be utilizing the Lithium-Ion battery with NMC chemistry like the other premium E-GMP electric cars, the entry-level compact EVs from Hyundai and Kia are expected to be equipped with the relatively inexpensive LFP batteries as standard
If you recall from our previous report, Hyundai Motor Group as a whole has put out an aggressive plan to complete new EV lineups that consists of 11 Hyundai, 14 Kia, and 6 Genesis models by 2030. For Genesis, more specifically, 4 are to be SUVs and 2 are passenger cars.
To speculate as to what these EV models would be, it’s rather easy to guess for the SUV part, as it’s pretty much confirmed that in addition to the dedicated GV60 electric vehicle, and the electrified GV70, GV80 is confirmed to be the next ICE Genesis model to be electrified, with the expected availability in the next couple of years.
The fourth electric Genesis SUV model would be none other than the GV90 dedicated EV, based on the E-GMP or the newly coined e-M platform, which would be co-developed with the other large 3-row behemoth from the sister brands, such as the production version of the Hyundai SEVEN concept, and the Kia EV9. The Genesis GV90 will be even bigger than the lesser siblings with the length exceeding 5,200 mm or 205 inches, which would place the biggest and the most luxurious Korean car ever to be produced, in the class of the likes of the Mercedes Benz EQS SUV, and the upcoming Cadillac Escalade Electric. Things are looking pretty exciting for the Korean luxury brand that’s on its way to becoming an exclusively electric vehicle brand starting in Europe in 2025, but that’s not everything.
Genesis G70 Shooting Brake is one of the inspirations for the new G60 compact EV. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/Al1J5-s9nys)
To satisfy the sedan-hungry non-European markets such as North America and Korea, there is now a confirmed vehicle development designation for the next-generation G70, which is now known as RN2. According to the product development code, RN2 stands for Medium-sized Luxury Sedan, and it’s consistent with the family codes such as the G80, which was RG2, meaning that it was a Semi-large Luxury-sedan.
The next-generation G70 sedan will be the first dedicated electric sedan of the brand, as the electrified G80 as the name suggests, was a derivative EV based on the internal combustion G80 sedan. Apparently, by looking at the corporate product planning, the electrified G80 may be phased out by 2030, as the next generation G70 will be based on the IONIQ 6 E-GMP sedan, and is expected to be a large vehicle with a length of 4885 mm or 191 inches, which makes it as large as the G80 sedan with the length of 4995 mm or 197 inches. Also, less than spectacular popularity in its native Korean market, probably will not help with its eventual demise, along with the progressively declining popularity of the large sedans in general.
The Next-Generation G70 Sedan will share the platform with the IONIQ 6 (For More Info: https://youtu.be/Al1J5-s9nys)
That being said, the second passenger EV model in question, will not be a sedan but will take a form of a hatchback or a wagon, specifically designed with the European market in mind. First, this is evident in the product development code of the all-new electric model from Genesis. Known as JE, it’s to be a semi-medium or compact hatchback vehicle smaller than the GV60, and the upcoming second-generation G70. Contrary to the SUV designation, it’s not an SUV with a raised height and ground clearance, and the product code is merely an indication that it will be a hatchback product. Accordingly, the brand new compact electric vehicle from Genesis will not be called GV50, but would likely be called G60.
Our sources report that the design of the new Genesis G60 electric hatchback is to be inspired by the current G70 Shooting Brake, as well as some elements of the original Mint concept that was supposed to be the basis for the GV60, which left much to be desired, as many felt that the GV60 failed to deliver on the Mint’s stylish flair, which would be a step in the right direction as esthetics as concerned.
Compared to the EV4 & IONIQ 3 siblings, the G60 will be more planted to the ground as a hatchback. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/Al1J5-s9nys)
The predictive rendering suggests a sports hatchback based on the current G70, and some components of the GV80 rear design mixed in for a good measure, which works well. Genesis’s iconic two-line theme adds to the luxury appeal of the design that’s very sporting, and distinctively European. It’s probably not as graceful as the much longer G70 Shooting Brake but it is still a very attractive compact car. The rough dimension is to be similar to the new second-generation Niro at 4400 mm or 173 inches, which would make it the most desirable size for European consumers, similar to the now-discontinued Audi A3 e-Tron.
Also in terms of the integration into the overall Hyundai motor group product lineup, it works out well since it would be the only compact sized 800-volt EV in the range, that would be in the order of the biggest GV90, electrified G80, electrified G70, IONIQ 5, Kia EV6 and the GV60, which is currently the smallest.
Another major difference would be the luxury touches and technology that the G60 would be offering compared to the mass-market siblings. (GV60 Interior Shown. For More Info: https://youtu.be/Al1J5-s9nys)
Another reason why the Genesis G60 is significant is that it paves the way for the other 800-volt compact electric vehicles from the Hyundai Motor Group, namely the Kia EV4 and the IONIQ 3. While similar in size, the biggest distinction, aside from the characteristically luxurious and opulent component that would be added to the electric car that’s Genesis, would be the type of battery. While the G60 would be utilizing the Lithium-Ion battery with NMC chemistry, like the other premium E-GMP electric cars, the entry-level compact EVs from Hyundai and Kia are expected to be equipped with the relatively inexpensive LFP batteries as standard. This means that while being a bit more expensive, the NMC battery-equipped G60 is expected to offer a longer range than the mass-market siblings.
While the entry-level LFP battery-powered EV4 and IONIQ 3 are expected to attain a range of around 250 miles or 400 km, due to the battery's inherent low energy density, compared to the NMC battery, the G60, by using the same 77.4 kWh battery as the GV60, EV6 and the IONIQ 5, the expected range is to be as much as 350 miles or 560 km, which would make it the longest driving Korean electric vehicle, until the breakthrough Lithium-Metal battery is introduced in 2025, that would extend the ranges of the premium EVs of the Hyundai Motor Group beyond 500 miles or 800 km.
The G60 will be equipped with the NMC batteries as opposed to the LFP batteries used in the EV4 / IONIQ 3 (For More Info: https://youtu.be/Al1J5-s9nys)
The performance will be premium as well, as it’s to feature a version of the high-performance power electric system that’s derived from the GV60 Performance, which could offer up to 430 hp and 600 Nm or 440 pound-feet of torque. For the EV that’s expected to weigh around 4,000 pounds or 1,800 kg, which is significantly less than the bigger siblings, the 0 to 60 mph acceleration time should be blistering at less than 4 seconds, which would be evenly matched with the other hyper hatches such as the Mercedes Benz A45 AMG, and Audi RS3.
However, with an estimated starting price of under $47,000 for the base RWD model with 225 hp single motor, and $52,000 for the 320 hp dual-motor AWD model, with the top of the line performance model starting from around $60,000, the G60 will be a value leader even when compared to the ICE rivals.
As far as the direct competition is concerned, there probably won’t be any, unless Tesla finally decides to release the much-rumored Model 2 or Model Q. Aside from the great performance and range, the Genesis G60 will offer all the great accouterments of being an 800-volt E-GMP based electric car, such as the blazingly fast 18 minute charge time 10 to 80%, V2L bidirectional charging system, OTA ready self-driving autonomy of at least level-3, and the full suite of advanced driver assistance systems.
Already well into the development, the original projected release was the end of 2023, along with the siblings EV4 and IONIQ 3, but it’s likely to be adjusted to a later date in 2024, accounting for the current supply chain issues and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Al1J5-s9nys