Genesis tells dealers GV60 electric crossover launching late 2021

The rumors were true – the GV60 will indeed serve as Genesis’ first foray into the electric vehicle segment. As we reported at the beginning of the month, a small crossover slotting underneath the conventional powered GV70 is going to serve as the first model from Hyundai’s luxury brand to eschew the combustion engine altogether.

The confirmation stems from an article published by Automotive News following discussions Genesis dealers had with the corporate side of the South Korean automaker. These talks took place on Wednesday at a National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) meeting during which Genesis National Dealer Advisory Council chairman, Peter Lanzavecchia, learned about the zero-emissions crossover.

Genesis confirmed the EV will carry the GV60 moniker and it will take the shape of a crossover rather than the city-oriented hatchback portrayed by the two-seater Mint concept during the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. Unsurprisingly, dealers were glad to hear about the switch from a hatchback to a crossover body style given the immense popularity of CUVs.

While dealers didn’t get to see the GV60, they were told the launch in North America is scheduled to take place towards the end of 2021. It likely means a world premiere will take place in the following months, with the South Korean market probably getting the electric crossover initially. The model is expected to ride on the same E-GMP platform as the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia CV (not final name), which will be debuting on February 16 and late March, respectively.

The platform has been developed from the ground up for electric vehicles and promises to deliver more than 311 miles (500 kilometers) of range and support for fast-charging. According to preliminary specs, four minutes of charging will provide 62 miles (100 kilometers) of range. Both the Ioniq 5 and Kia CV will also be crossovers, with the latter promising supercar-like acceleration by hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in just three seconds.

This new wave of EVs from the Hyundai Motor Group will deliver over-the-air updates, a massive head-up display (HUD) with augmented reality, and side cameras replacing the traditional mirrors. With Genesis being the luxury brand of the trio, it would make sense for the GV60 to offer all the high-end hardware developed for the E-GMP architecture.

Source: Automotive News