Tag Archives: Genesis

Genesis Goes Electric with Electrified G80 Sedan’s Debut in Shanghai

Genesis G80 EV front

Genesis is looking to make up some ground when it comes to electrification with the new Electrified G80.

The Genesis brand is determined to go from catch-up mode to leaving its competition behind. After an initial delay, it’s rolled out an assortment of new SUVs and its now getting into the battery-car game with the launch of the Electrified G80 at the Shanghai Auto Show.

The name of the Genesis Electrified G80 sedan might confuse some folks, making it sound like the automaker simply stuffed some batteries inside the conventional, gas-powered G8. However, the new model gets a major makeover to ensure it gets the range and other benefits offered by switching to battery power.

“Today is very special because it represents a variety of firsts for the Genesis brand, not only because this is Genesis’ very first appearance at Auto Shanghai, but also as the first time we are unveiling a new product outside of Korea,” said Jay Chang, Global head of the Genesis brand. “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.”

Filling in gaps in the product line-up

Genesis G80 EV side charging

Genesis has been on a product roll in the last year or so, but an EV was a hole in the line-up — until now.

Genesis has been on a roll this past year, expanding its SUV line-up, updating initial sedans, including the gas-powered G80, and rolling out concepts like the all-electric Genesis X coupe revealed last month.

The one thing missing has been a production battery-electric vehicle, something the automaker has long signaled was in the works — though it also was known to be considering different options, including a crossover, a city car or, as it now turns out, a relatively conventional sedan.

There are some questions left to be answered, such as what platform the Electrified G80 rides on. Parent Hybrid Motor Group has developed the E-GMP architecture for use on products including the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

It’s not clear whether it also underpins the Genesis Electrified G80. But the luxury member of the family has clearly found a way to squeeze in plenty of batteries, claiming the BEV sedan will deliver as much as 500 km, or 310 miles, range using the global NEDC standard. That likely would drop to something at or under 250 miles using the U.S. EPA test cycle.

Quicker charging

Genesis G80 EV interior

The interior of the new electric G80 sedan features a slew of technology.

The powertrain also aims to address concerns about charging times. The Electrified G80’s drive system can flip from 400 to 800 volts, allowing it to plug into the latest public quick chargers. Using the newest 350 kilowatt systems it can go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge in just 22 minutes, Genesis claims.

The Vehicle-to-Load, or V2L, system also lets a motorist tap energy stored in the battery to power electric tools or, if need be, appliances should a home suffer a power outage.

Genesis isn’t ready to reveal specifics about the motor drive system, though it does note the all-wheel-drive system has a “Disconnector Actuator” that lets it switch from AWD to just rear-wheel drive. That suggests there is a single motor mounted, most likely, on the rear axle.

In Sport Mode, the automaker claims, the Electrified G80 will launch from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds.

Lots of unanswered questions

While the battery model looks much like the conventional G80, it features a sealed version of the familiar Genesis Crest Grille. That reduces aero drag since there’s no need to send air to cool and feed a gas engine under the hood. The charging port is hidden within the grille’s upper right corner.

Inside, the automaker switched to sustainable materials, including fabrics made of PET from recycled soft drink bottles.

Calling electrification “one of the key strategies” for the brand, Genesis said the Electrified G80 will be followed by “additional EV models.” It also said it will share more information about the BEV and plans to bring it to North America “later this year.”

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NACTOY Names Finalists for Car, Truck Utility of the Year

The 2021 Genesis G80 is the second generation of the brand’s original offering, and a candidate for 2021 North American Car of the Year.

It’s down to just nine new models, three finalists in each of the three categories for North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year, with the winners set to be announced in less than four weeks.

Three manufacturers overwhelmingly dominate this year’s list of finalists: Hyundai Motor Group, Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. A few familiar names, including General Motors, Honda and Toyota, which have been dominant during the past quarter century among NACTOY finalists and winners, are notably absent. But the list does include one entry each from Nissan and Land Rover.

“In this very challenging year, these nine vehicles emerged as our Finalists out of an unusually strong field of 27 Semifinalists,” said NACTOY president Gary Witzenburg. “Each one of them – especially the 15 in the ultra-competitive utility vehicle category – is excellent in nearly every way. Not to mention the automakers’ unusually difficult challenge of getting our 50 jurors from all over North America into their candidate vehicles for testing and evaluation prior to our later-than-usual voting deadline.”

(Jurors whittle list down to 27 semi-finalists for NACTOY awards.)

Ford F-150 Limited

Hyundai Motor Group landed what appears to be a strong three different finalists in two of the three categories, and they represent two of its three brands: mainstream Hyundai with the Elantra sedan and high-line Genesis with the G80 sedan and GV80, its first SUV. The group’s third brand nabbed its first-ever NACTOY trophy last January, the Kia Telluride named North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

Fiat Chrysler hits with two models in the Truck category, the Ram 1500 TRX, and the Jeep Gladiator Mojave pickup. If Jeep scores again it would mark a repeat,

Land Rover Defender

the Gladiator, its first pickup in decades, winning Truck of the Year honors in January.

Ford has finalists in both the Truck and Utility Vehicle categories with the F-150 pickup and Mustang Mach-E, its first long-range battery-electric vehicle. It didn’t even field an entry into the Car of the Year competition as it has effectively walked away from the passenger car market but for its conventional Mustang coupe.

Nissan rounded out the Car of the Year list with its Sentra sedan, Land Rover nabbing the third Utility of the Year finalist spot with the reborn Defender.

The NACTOY judging process for 2021 began even as the 2020 awards were handed out at the beginning of this pandemic-plagued year. The 50 jurors from the U.S. and Canada started out by individually testing nearly 50 vehicles. The process was complicated by the COVID-19 crisis as some vehicles were added, some removed from the list due to the disease’s impact on product development and production plans. A group of semi-finalists were brought together for a socially distanced group drive in October.

Hyundai Elantra

(North American Car, Truck, SUV of the Year jurors reveal 2021 candidates.)

“Just as individual car buyers have their own purchase criteria, each of our 50 expert jurors has his or her own individual process for evaluating candidate vehicles,” said NACTOY Vice President Jack R. Nerad, “which results in a robust and comprehensive competition that looks at the contenders from every possible angle. We are proud of the vast experience and diversity of our panel of jurors.

Jeep Gladiator Mojave

Jurors now will begin final reviews, with voting on the eventual winners to take place between Jan. 2-4, 2021. The three trophies for 2021 NACTOY Car, Truck and Utility of the Year will be announced on Jan. 11. Details about the announcement process will be announced in the coming weeks but will include an online presentation.

A closer look at the nine finalists:

Car of the Year:

Genesis GV80

Genesis G80: The successor to the original Hyundai Genesis that was the first Korean NACTOY winner, the second-generation G80 sedan got a complete makeover for 2021 aimed at enhancing its features and interior refinement, while also adopting the brand’s new signature appearance.

Hyundai Elantra: The Korean carmaker remains a fixture in the passenger car market as others walk away. The new Elantra isnot only better equipped this year but also now offered with a variety of packages, including a hybrid and performance-oriented N and N Sport models.

Nissan Sentra: The Japanese automaker is another brand remaining staying with the sedan market. The next-generation Sentra is larger, roomier and, along with a complete design makeover, gets a class-above update in refinement and features.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Truck of the Year:

Ford F-150: If anything, Ford’s mainstay full-size pickup is being offered in more configurations than ever, what with the launch of the all-new F-150 Hybrid. The F-150, on the whole gets an evolutionary styling update, along with lots of new features and powertrain upgrades.

Nissan Sentra

Jeep Gladiator Mojave: The Gladiator became the first Jeep pickup in years and won the NACTOY truck honors in 2020. Now, it is chasing the trophy once again with this significantly updated version specifically design for those who want to spend serious time off-road.

Ram 1500 TRX: The current Ram is another NACTOY winner, but the TRX marks a major update. It’s wider, taller, roomier. It’s also loaded with plenty of new features designed for use on or off-road. But the biggest new feature is the addition of the monstrous Hellcat V-8.

Utility Vehicle of the Year:

Ford Mustang Mach-E: Ford takes direct aim at Tesla’s hot-selling Model Y and could be the first to get the California EV maker sweating. The Mach-E lifts styling cues from the familiar Mustang coupe – but adopts an SUV body style. It delivers up to 300 miles and Mustang-like performance.

Ram 1500 TRX

Genesis GV80: Genesis has won rave reviews for its sedans – the G70 named a Car of the Year winner. But it has been slow to catch on with the public, something the Korean brand hopes to resolve with the launch of its first-ever SUV, the GV80 loaded with high-line features and great road manners.

Land Rover Defender: The heir to the original Land Rover Series I has been out of production for five years and missing in action in the U.S. market for more than two decades. It’s back with a new design, a luxurious interior, lots of new features – but even more off-road capabilities than ever.

(Ford Mustang Mach-E captures Green Car of the Year honor.)