From £43,1008

The Korean premium brand's luxury saloon gets an electric variant designed to rival the Mercedes-Benz EQE

What is it?

The term ‘electrified’ has been tenuously stretched by car makers’ marketing folk in recent years, increasingly applied to any form of hybrid car with even the merest hint of electric assistance in an attempt to make them sound greener and cleaner.

So you might be wondering what sort of hybrid powertrain the new Genesis Electrified G80 features. But here’s the thing: it’s a pure battery electric car. In fact, Genesis doesn’t even do hybrids: if you fancy yourself a big Korean luxury saloon, your choices are a turbocharged petrol engine or this dual-motor EV. Genesis uses ‘electrified’ to differentiate EV versions of multi-powertrain models (which is why the EV-only Genesis GV60 crossover doesn’t have the descriptor).

022 Genesis g80 ev tracking front 2022

 

It’s a temporary measure, given that by 2025, all new Genesis models will be EV-only, but it's one example of how the ‘Genesis Difference’ might actually be more than marketing speak for the firm’s sales, customer service and aftermarket care plan (and, in the case of EVs, a charging package). And ‘different’ is a term that definitely fits the Electrified G80.

In combustion-engined form, the Genesis G80 offers a pleasingly alternative take on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series. But with a dual-motor, 364bhp electric powertrain and a £65,802 starting price, the Electrified G80 lands in a gap in the market, priced well above the Tesla Model S but usefully undercutting the entry-level £76,450 Mercedes-Benz EQE – which it’s notably longer than, at 5005mm.

What's it like?

Genesis assigns every buyer a Personal Assistant, but you won’t take up too much of their time speccing an Electrified G80: there’s one powertrain, one battery and one set price of £65,000. That said, with any paint colour other than white costing extra and five packs and a handful of other options (including a vehicle-to-load outlet that allows you to power other devices) available, you could easily edge the price up past £80,000.

028 Genesis g80 ev driving 2022

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An electric motor on each axle produces a combined 365bhp and 516lb ft. That’s 65bhp and 205lb ft more than the top-spec 2.5-litre petrol G80. The motors can rev at 19,000rpm for a claimed smoother operation, and the system will switch from single-motor rear-drive to dual-motor mode automatically to balance performance and range.

The motors are fed by an 87.2kWh battery, giving the Electrified G80 a WLTP range of 323 miles. It uses the same 800V charging tech as the GV60, allowing for fast-charging at up to 240kW, or 10-80% in 21 minutes. While the headline rate is slightly lower than the 350kW the GV60 can achieve, due to its likely purpose as a long-haul cruiser, the Electrified G80 is engineered to hold its maximum rate for longer.

When it comes time for charging, Genesis buyers also reveice a five-year Ionity subscription and a charge pass that, the firm says, gives access to 300,000 public charge points in Europe.

The GV60 sits on the Hyundai Motor Group’s bespoke electric E-GMP platform, whereas the Electrified G80 sits on a multi-powertrain architecture. But Genesis hasn’t just yanked out the engine and shoved in those electric motors: through extensive use of carbonfibre composites and other materials, its boffins have stripped out 46kg from the body-in-white. Once you add in the battery, the EV still weighs 2325kg, the best part of 400kg more than the ICE, but it has greater torsional rigidity and that slug of extra torque to shift the heft

There’s a pleasingly old-school charm to Genesis’s vision of luxury motoring. The Electrified G80 doesn’t stray far from the formula set by the regular version: a ‘G-Matrix’ plate in place of the radiator, bespoke bumpers and 19in alloy wheels are the only real subtle visual clues to the powertrain switch.

The interior is similarly refined but not reinvented: comfortable leather seats are standard, there’s bags of room and the controls both look and feel the part. While there’s plenty of tech and touchscreens, Genesis hasn’t lost appreciation of the pleasure of a well-weighted switch. That extends to the rear seats: only a real brand snob would fail to be impressed.

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We had plenty of praise for the refinement of the regular G80, and with a smooth, quiet electric powertrain mixed with active noise cancelling, that feeling is heightened. It’s a peaceful place to spend time, and the suspension soaks up all but the biggest bumps with ease. As with the combustion-engined G80, the EV puts the dynamic emphasis on luxury over sporting prowess. It retains much of the tech of the regular version, including electronically controlled suspension and adaptive dampers that use cameras to scan the road ahead.

It’s quick – all that torque allows for effortless acceleration and the ability to eat up motorway miles with commensurate ease – but this is a machine that’s best enjoyed at a more relaxed pace. The steering is well-weighted and the handling is predictable and confidence-inspiring, but it isn’t tremendously engaging to drive.

Should I buy one?

As an executive saloon, there’s much to like and recommend about the Electrified G80 and how it uses electric tech to enhance its luxury brief. In an age when most premium EVs are SUVs or sports saloons, it’s something a little bit different – and pleasingly so.

033 Genesis g80 ev static 2022

PRICES & SPECS

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Straff 8 June 2022

Hideous

KeithS 11 June 2022

I think it looks fabulous. So much so I placed deposit earlier in the year, and all being well am hoping to take delivery of my car by the end of the month! Same exterior colour as shown in the article - Matira Blue but with Arctic white interior. Same options as the test car, but without the rear screens which come in the Executive package which is seemingly aimed at a rear passenger owner with a chauffeur up front. 

Gerhard 15 June 2022

I wish you joy with your new car. It does look pretty stunning with those alloys especially, and as an EV is a completely different prospect to the slightly-underwhelming ICE versions. Having been in various Genesis/Hyundai models over the years it is clear the company is a major player -with more experience than Tesla- and those on here whinging about residual values perhaps don't see how the EV market is different and the supply-chain issues will keep RVs high for the next 5 years anyway. 

ianp55 8 June 2022

Rather like the grille on the G80 it's certainly more appealing than the snouts on BMW offerings,the styling looks quite crisp and the interior looks very comfortable if slanted towards North American tastes. 

scrap 8 June 2022

The front 'grille' is rather garish... a softer looking body colour nose like the GV60 would be preferable. But it's still better looking than any current BMW and with a rather enticing cabin too. 

Expensive, but almost all will be company purchases and overall costs probably competitive with a £50k diesel exec saloon. It's quite appealing.

Overdrive 8 June 2022

The size of that grille is frankly ridiculous. The 5 series BMW that this would compete with, has a much more restrained grille and overall styling. That said, I don't mind it as a whole, and the interior does look nice, and to their credit they've not dispensed with physical buttons for some of the often used functions.

The price is very off putting, though others in the sector are probably just as expensive, but they are more established. Nevertheless, it's always good to have more choice in the market