Genesis Electrified G80 review

By James Attwood

8 Jun 2022

Move Electric rating: four stars out of five

Sell it to me in a sentence…

The Genesis Electrified G80 is a large saloon from the new Korean premium brand designed to rival the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQE.

The Electrified G80? So… is this a full electric car or not?

Yes. Yes it is. While a lot of car firms use ‘electrified’ as a term to describe hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles (and even mild hybrids, in a few slightly cheeky cases), Genesis doesn’t actually produce any hybrids. Instead, it applies the Electrified label to battery electric versions of models you can also get with a combustion engine. So you can buy a Genesis G80 with an old-fashioned petrol engine, or you can buy a battery-powered Electrified G80.

That is different from the approach the brand is taking with its EV-only models, such as the excellent Genesis GV60 we reviewed recently. Because that car will only be offered as an EV, Genesis doesn’t feel the need to add a modifier telling you it’s electric.

Why didn’t they just go for Electric G80, or G80 EV? Not sure, but there you go.

How fast is Genesis launching electric cars?

Very. The Electrified G80 is the second of three electric cars that Genesis will launch in the UK this year, after the GV60 crossover. The Genesis Electrified GV70, an electric version of the brand’s mid-size premium SUV, is also due in the coming months (in case you hasn’t worked it out, Genesis models badged G are saloons, with GV used for high-riding SUV types).

It’s a rapid rollout, even by the current standards of car firms that are racing to expand their EV offerings, but it’s all part of the plans to rapidly establish Genesis in the UK. The Hyundai Motor Group’s premium brand only arrived last year with the G70, GV70, G80 and GV80 ICE models, but while it has started with a multi-powertrain strategy the brand’s future is predictably electric.

Genesis will only launch new electric models in Europe from 2025 onwards, and by 2030 its entire line-up will be electric. At which point, presumably, the Electrified G80 will just be known as the G80, saving everyone all that electric/electrified confusion.

Okay, give me some details about the G80 then…

The G80 is the ‘flagship’ saloon in the Genesis range, the biggest, poshest car in its European model line-up, and has been conceived to rival premium saloons such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class – or, in electric form, the Mercedes-Benz EQE. That’s a pretty audacious goal from a relatively new brand.

Mind you, at £65,805, the Electrified G80 is notably cheaper than the current entry-level £76,450 EQE. Given it’s some way above the likes of the Tesla Model S, Genesis has found an interesting gap in the market for the machine to fill. And, it’s worth noting, if you tick a lot of option boxes the price of the Electrified G80 can easily rise past £80,000.

Unlike the smaller GV60 crossover, the Electrified G80 sits on a multi-powertrain platform. But Genesis has extensively reworked that architecture, using loads of carbonfibre composites and other materials to strip 46kg out of the body-in-white. At 2325kg, the EV still weighs the best part of 400kg more than the ICE version, but it offers greater torsional rigidity and it doesn’t exactly transform the driving experience.

How many powertrain options are there?

Selecting a powertrain for your Electrified G80 will be simple: there is only one. It features a pair of 136kW motors mounted on each axle offering a total output of 272kW and 516lb ft of torque. The twin motor set-up means there’s all-wheel-drive – although it will revert to rear-drive in some modes to boost efficiency – and Genesis claims a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds. The motors are designed so they rev at 19,000rpm, which Genesis claims makes them ultra-efficient and smooth.

Power comes from an 87.2kWh battery, which gives a WLTP range of 323 miles and an official consumption of 3.25 miles per kWh. That seemed fairly accurate from our test, and it was possible exceed that through careful driving and use of the eco mode.

Like the GV60, the Electrified G80 features an 800V architecture that allows for ultra-fast charging. While it’s top speed of 240kWh is slower than the GV60, Genesis says that is to allow it to maintain that rate for longer, which is better for rapidly topping up on long journeys – a 10-80% charge takes 21 minutes.

On the charging front, as part of the ‘Genesis Difference’ customer care and support package, Electrified G80 buyers get a five-year subscription to the Ionity network and a Genesis Charge Pass that gives access to 300,000 charging points across Europe.

That, of course, goes with all the other ‘care package’ items the firm offers, including a dedicated Genesis Personal Assistant, a five-year care plan and so on.

What’s the Electrified G80 like?

From the outside, the Electrified G80 certainly has a somewhat grandiose feel, befitting its positioning as a luxury executive saloon. It’s got a bit of old-fashioned luxury feel. The grille of the ICE car has been replaced with a big front panel featuring a ‘G-Matrix design, which has the charging port ‘hidden’ inside.

Compared to the ICE version, the EV also gets bespoke bumpers and 19in alloy wheels. That said, this isn’t a car that screams ‘unique EV design’, but it does fit nicely in its intended class.

The interior has a similar feel: if you asked someone to describe the interior of a luxury executive saloon, they’d probably come up with something close to the Electrified G80. So there’s lots of plush materials on the dash, and a ‘Forged Wood’ finish (made from recycled pieces of wood).

That wood is just one example of how sustainable materials have been used extensively in the cabin. That said, vegans beware: leather seats are standard, and the only other option is an upgrade to a premium leather. Genesis says that executive saloon buyers like their leather, and while it is looking at alternatives, it claims none are quite up to the job yet.

There’s plenty of tech, though, including a 14.5in infotainment touchscreen and a 12.3in digital instrument display. The infotainment system is generally strong, and features over-the-air updates and services. You can also control it with the touchscreen, voice control or a dial mounted on the central control panel. But this isn’t a Tesla-aping, button-free design: there are a decent number of tactile buttons and switches, all of which feel good quality.

There’s also bags of room inside the machine. It’s a pleasingly comfy place to spend time in the front, and crucially for an executive saloon passengers in the back are also well-catered for – there’s loads of legroom and you can option screens for the rear seats with a controller. If you want to be driven about in your electric saloon, you’d be very happy in the back of an Electrified G80.

Okay, enough lazing in the back seats: what’s it like to drive?

As an executive saloon, the Electrified G80 ticks a lot of boxes. It’s exceptionally refined, with the combination of a smooth, quiet electric powertrain and active noise cancelling making journeys peaceful and relaxing. The ride is good, too: the suspension features a camera that scans the road ahead for bumps and then automatically adjusts in preparation, and as a result it soaks up all but the biggest bumps with ease.

Unlike machines such as the EQE, which will gain a sporty Mercedes-AMG version, the dynamic emphasis of the Electrified G80 is firmly on luxury cruising rather than high-performance. It’s quick, of course, with that lovely electric torque making acceleration effortless and allowing the machine to waft along happily at speed on a motorway.

But it’s really a machine that’s meant to be savoured in relaxed fashion, rather than pushed. The steering is well-weighted and the handling inspires confidence dues to how predictable it is, but it isn’t the most involving machine you’ll drive. Still, it’s incredibly relaxing to drive and remarkably easy to handle given how long it is.

You mentioned options earlier, so what’s available?

For starters, you’ll have to pay extra if you want any colour other than white. Then there’s a choice of various option packs with fancy names (including Innovation, Convenience, Comfort and Executive) that add various elements.

The £3840 Innovation package, for example, adds intelligent front-lighting, a head-up display and a 3D instrument cluster, while for £1170 the Convenience pack adds a heated steering wheel, three-zone climate control and an electronic boot opening.

But the two most notable optional features are standalone extras. You can choose a vehicle-to-grid outlet (£250), which works off an adapter that plugs into the charging port and will allow you to power external devices, such as an e-bike or – as Genesis used to demonstrate – a coffee machine. For the record, the coffee tasted perfectly pleasant.

You can also opt for a solar panel on the roof, which costs £1360. Don’t expect that to be the primary power source for your car: it’s intended as a supplement, gradually feeding in energy when conditions allow. The firm estimates it can add around 715 miles of range a year, which isn’t game-changing but is useful.

If you’re doing the sums, that’s around two miles a day, which the firm has worked out based on the panel working for an average of 5.8 hours a day. Obviously, you’ll likely get more range in summer – or at least what passes for one in Britain – and less in a dark winter. Or if you park your car indoors, obviously.

Verdict

As you may have read in our review, we were hugely impressed by the Genesis GV60. But the Electrified G80 is a very different proposition, and the clue is in the name. This isn’t a ground-up bespoke EV like its predecessor but an electric version of an executive saloon. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot fo like about it, or plenty to recommend.

If you’re looking for a large executive electric saloon – which, let’s be honest, isn’t exactly a massive market segment – the Electrified G80 offers a pleasingly different take on the formula, one that fuses modern electric technology with a little bit of old-school luxury.

Genesis GV60 specifications

Price from: £65,802

Motors: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors

Gearbox: Automatic

Driven wheels: four

Maximum power: 272kW

Maximum torque: 516lb ft

Electric range (official): 323 miles

Economy (official): 3.25mpkWh

Battery: 87.2kWh

CO2 emissions: 0g/km

Weight: 2325 kg