Want some, erm, refreshing, news?
Well, the Genesis Mint concept car of 2019 could yet inspire a production model from the Korean luxury arm of Hyundai.
The Mint was first shown at the New York Motor Show, highlighting the design of a potential small, urban-focused EV for the brand.
However, the idea didn’t appear to have progressed… until today, when top executives told Move Electric that the idea was still under evaluation, driven by the firm’s subsequent move to sell cars in Europe, where smaller vehicles are cherished.
Mark Choi, head of product planning for Genesis, said: “We are looking at expanding our model line up, and especially in Europe a smaller model is being considered.
“But it is not a simple case of adding new models; we need to factor in the growth of sales anticipated for our current cars, weigh that against our manufacturing capacity, and then consider the rising cost of raw materials and understand how that affects the decision.”
Today’s soaring costs of materials are believed to be delaying a final decision on whether to go ahead with the Mint, with Genesis officials said to be acutely aware that there is a price limit that people will pay for a small EV, no matter how luxurious it is.
Head of design Sanyup Lee added: “When you live in a city you don’t necessarily want a big car, so a small luxury vehicle is something to think about. There are premium small cars, but a luxury small car could be something new.”
The Mint had twin scissor doors, which lifted up to open a space that was accessible for front and rear seat passengers. However, such an arrangement is a popular concept car flourish and rarely makes into production because of the cost; instead, a production Mint would likely be a four-door.
The Mint concept had 200 miles of range but the capacity for 350kW charging - suggesting that its urban focus might allow it to have a smaller battery than many modern EVs, but to be able to be charged quickly if top-ups were needed.
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