Test bench | Genesis G80 Electrified: and two!

It’s a small piece in a puzzle that just keeps coming together. Starting in the fall, Genesis is launching an electrified version of its G80.

Eric LeFrancois
special cooperation

Electric and normal

The Genesis G80 Electrified is a normal electric sedan. Banal, even. This lack of originality deserves to be saluted. Because it is also with ordinary models that the electric car will fit into real life.

On the road, the 5.02 m of the G80 Electrified will go unnoticed. Apart from the clogged grille, the absence of the fuel valve and the exhausts, nothing visually distinguishes it from its thermal equivalent. In fact, this model was designed on an architecture originally planned to accommodate an internal combustion engine. So, nothing to do with the platform recently inaugurated by the Hyundai group and released by the GV60. As a result, the buyer of a G80 Electrified will have to deal with less roominess compared to its gasoline counterpart. You have to put the batteries somewhere, right? This seems rather frustrating because of the size of this sedan and demonstrates that only an architecture dedicated to electrics can take full advantage of the interior revolution that this entails.

For the G80 Electrified, there are wider door sills, but above all a floor that takes on altitude, cutting back the space under the roof. Same observation by lifting the trunk lid. The volume is more limited, but still quite adequate.

At the front, you have to consult the data from the instrument cluster or browse the huge infotainment screen to realize that this G80 belongs to the New World.

A charge indicator takes over from the fuel gauge while consumption is calculated in kilowatt hours and not in liters per 100 km. The paddles on the steering wheel are not used here to climb or descend the gear ratios, but rather to vary the intensity of the engine brake. The G80 Electrified allows driving (soothing) and allows the use of a single pedal.

If not original and refined, the interior presentation has the merit of offering, at no additional cost, the choice of three different colors. It changes us from black! The standard equipment is complete and includes all the little sweetnesses for which the European luxury manufacturers, in particular, charge a high price. Among this plethora of technological accessories, there is an assistant for parking the vehicle in a very tight space (the vehicle parks there by itself).

Silence, let’s roll!

In appearance, the architecture of the G80s is similar, but the electrified version still has some differences. That of the G80 Electrified displays greater rigidity (around 17%, according to its manufacturer) while being lighter. The explanation lies in the integration of a greater share of aluminum components. Added to this is a specific, automated suspension designed to reduce the impact of the (too many) potholes that still characterize Quebec roads.

This sedan provides instant acceleration that can leave other cars on the spot at the green light and allow you to negotiate large curves without apprehension due to a steering that is more heavy than precise. Apart from its total operating silence, the G80 Electrified surprises with the slight sensation of inertia felt when braking, partly attributable to the mass of the car (2285 kg, including 546.2 kg of batteries). This overweight hardly alters the behavior in normal use, quite the contrary.

Unlike Volvo’s XC40 and XC40 Recharge, for example, the transition between the power units (from thermal to electric) proves to be a success here. The G80 Electrified is indeed more pleasant, more in line with its status as a luxury sedan and finally more economical, especially than its gasoline alter ego. In fact, driving the G80 Electrified is an exercise beyond the commonplace. We appreciate the quietness of operation and the fluidity of its movements despite the weight (nearly 2.5 tons) of this South Korean sedan. Everything encourages you to drive smoothly by taking advantage of the extreme elasticity of its electric motors. These shine by their efficiency with an acceptable autonomy (some 450 km of autonomy) and a surprisingly reasonable consumption, comparable to that of the other vehicles (Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60) marketed by the South Korean group. The charging socket concealed behind the grille may nevertheless pose a problem due to its vulnerability to winter weather.

In practice, the brake pedal is hardly applied – the inertia of the power units is sufficient – ​​provided that the vagaries of traffic are anticipated. And then, from time to time, it is not forbidden to allow yourself a little pleasure. By accelerating frankly when the light turns green, everyone is left on the spot… With their constant torque, the two electric motors instantly make this Genesis jump which, for the time being, has in fact no competition at the horizon.

Technical sheet

Engines

• Electric permanent magnets
• 365 horsepower
• 516 lb-ft of torque

Performance

• Weight: 2285 kg
• Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 4.6 seconds
• Top speed: 240 km/h

Gearbox

• Standard: automatic
• Optional: none
• Drive Mode: Integral

Tires

• Front: 245/45R19
• Rear: 275/40R19

Consumption/battery

• 18.1kWh/100km
• Li-ion 87.2kWh

Dimensions

• Wheelbase: 3010mm
• Length: 5004mm
• Height: 1471mm
• Width: 1925mm *

* Exterior mirrors excluded

Autonomy/charging

• 454 kilometers (manufacturer)
• Level 2: 7 hrs 22 mins

Options

Open doors

On display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance last week, Genesis’ X Speedium concept study opened its doors to the general public for the first time. He had the opportunity to discover the aesthetic codes of the South Korean luxury brand: clean line, concern for simplicity and underlying technology. Now that it is complete, it remains for Genesis to say whether this study will soon experience the joys of mass production.

Distinction

Never two without three

The South Korean luxury brand promises that all its new products will be electrified by 2025. In North America, the GV60 and G80 Electrified are joining the lineup this year, but you should know that other vehicles will join the ranks shortly. During the last Festival of Speed ​​in Goodwood, England, Genesis lifted the veil on an electrified version of its GV70 utility. The latter will be assembled at the Montgomery plant in Alabama (United States), and will include a 77.4 kWh battery.