Genesis to target Lexus with hybrid car rollout, but is Hyundai's luxury arm cooling on EVs? - reports

A change of mind by Hyundai might mean its premium Genesis might not launch the rapid roll-out of electric models it said it would, according to reports.

The Korea Economic Daily website has reported that industry sources say that despite the big electric plans for Genesis, it’s parent company Hyundai is hesitant to go ahead with fully electric models and will launch hybrids next. 

Sources say Hyundai and Genesis started development work last year on hybrids with the first model likely to arrive in 2025.

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The rumour is that we’ll see the Genesis G80 or GV70 arrive first in 2025 with a 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. 

That’s a u-turn on the bold claims Genesis executives made just a few years ago that every new model that would be launched from 2025 onwards would be fully electric and then it would only sell zero-emission cars from 2030.

“Starting in 2025 all new vehicles to be launched will be pure electric vehicles," Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung said in 2021.

“By 2030 Genesis will establish itself as a 100 per cent zero-emission vehicles brand that aim to reach sales of 400,000 cars.” 

The plan looked as though it was well on track. Genesis has already launched the G80 fully electric large sedan, the electrified GV70 medium-sized SUV and the smaller GV60 EV, and then teased us with the beautiful X Speedium Coupe concept which gave us a glimpse of the future.

The rumour is that we’ll see the Genesis G80 or GV70 arrive first in 2025 with a 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

Genesis continues to sell these models in Australia, along with their petrol siblings including the G70 and G80 sedans, and the GV70 and GV80 SUVs. But no further EVs have been added to the line-up.

CarsGuide reached out to Hyundai Australia for clarification on the future line-up but was told that no comment could be made until the brand’s global headquarters officially announced any new product details.

The change of plan could be a reaction to the slowing electric vehicle take up in Europe and the US where manufacturers such as Ford and Volkswagen have pushed back some investments and developments, according to KED.

Finding hybrid powertrains for Genesis should not be difficult for Hyundai Group, which already uses the technology in a range of its models including the Santa Fe, Kona, i30 and soon for the Palisade, as well as the Sorento and Sportage on the Kia side.

Hydrogen powertrains are also part of Hyundai’s plans and the brand has been one of the pioneers of the technology with the Nexo small SUV.