Genesis is rolling out this week at Auto Shanghai in China its very first electric vehicle. Meet the Electrified G80, which largely borrows the design inside and out from the regular model fitted with combustion engines. There are some discreet differences, such as the bespoke 19-inch wheels and the enclosed front grille.
The exhaust tips at the back are obviously gone, while the closed-off grille hides the charging port needed to juice up the battery. Hyundai’s premium division is not talking about the capacity of the battery just yet, but it does say it has enough energy for more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) in the NEDC cycle. Expect both WLTP and EPA numbers to be lower, though, especially the latter.
With a sprint to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, the Electrified G80 has some impressive acceleration when you take into consideration its size and what must likely be a hefty weight following the conversion to an EV. It takes 22 minutes to charge the battery from 10% to 80% thanks to charging at 350 kW. A solar roof adds a bit more range, while support for bidirectional charging means you can power household appliances at up to 3.6 kW.
Genesis has engineered the all-electric G80 exclusively with all-wheel drive by installing one motor at each axle. The hardware creates a punchy combined output of 365 hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft), which should make the EV feel springy despite its considerable heft. The big sedan can automatically switch from AWD to RWD by deactivating the front motor when its extra power is not needed. Doing so will result in greater efficiency to extend the range.
The Electrified G80 is the company’s first production EV and will be coming to the United States and Canada. Details regarding the North American model will be disclosed in the following months when the GV60 dedicated electric vehicle is also expected to break cover. Until that happens, Auto Shanghai attendees in China can also check out the jaw-dropping Genesis X coupe concept along with a bunch of G80 sedans and GV80 SUVs.
Source: Genesis
