Hyundai’s Genesis premium brand debuted the Electrified GV70, a fully electric version of the GV70 SUV, at Auto Guangzhou 2021 in China on Friday. It also confirmed the model’s arrival in the United States.
The news adds to a recent speculation that Genesis may be aiming to build the GV70 EV in the United States starting next year. A GV70 EV had not yet been verified for anyplace in the world when the news first surfaced, but now it has.
Genesis’ gorgeous and tech-rich GV70 SUV has already won our hearts, and now there’s a new variant to covet: the Electrified GV70. Aside from the awkward name, there’s reason to be even more enthusiastic about this compact premium crossover, which debuted at China’s Auto Guangzhou show extravaganza.
It’s not simply the complex word order that makes for an odd name. For many people, the term “electrified” has always been a bit of a misnomer, because it’s been used by the industry to describe not only pure electric vehicles like this one, but also any model with a hybrid gas-electric motor.
This Electrified GV70 is, in fact, the Electric GV70. Underneath its powerful bodywork, there is no internal combustion. In boost mode, this two-motor electric vehicle produces up to 483 horsepower (360 kW) and 516 pound-feet of torque (700 nM). According to the Hyundai, this is enough power to achieve 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. For those keeping score, that’s faster than the GV70 Sport, which is already available with a 375-horsepower V6 engine (a model that was just named as a finalist for the 2022 North American Utility of the Year Awards on Wednesday).
Suspension technology from the GV80 flagship SUV is one of the numerous notable technological elements of the GV70 EV. To regulate the suspension, it uses the vehicle’s front camera to examine the road surface ahead, adding data from the navigation system.
The Electrified GV70 new-generation smart regenerative braking system additionally considers navigation data and road conditions, as well as driving behaviors. An i-Pedal system works in a similar way to one-pedal driving.
The Electrified GV70 can be charged at 400 or 800 volts using a so-called multi-rapid-charging system, and Genesis claims that it can be charged to 80% in less than 20 minutes using a 350-kw fast-charger.
The Electrified GV70, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, has a vehicle to load (V2L) capability that allows it to operate as an auxiliary power bank, with 3.6 kw available to power electric items outside the car.
Genesis equips the SUV with a technology that may totally disconnect one motor depending on driving circumstances, allowing the benefits of dual-motor all-wheel drive while avoiding excessive power loss. The internal-combustion GV70 is constructed on a rear-wheel-drive basis, though Genesis hasn’t confirmed whether that’s the front or rear wheels.
The Electrified GV70, like the Ioniq 5, has a 3.6kW Vehicle to Load capability that may be used to power external devices. That’s a lot of electricity, far more than you’ll ever need to keep your computers, tablets, and cellphones running smoothly. It’s enough to power a camping site, a tailgate party with a large screen and daiquiri machine, or even a rescue mission for another stranded EV user.
The Electrified GV70 hasn’t changed much in terms of style, which is understandable given how sleek it was to begin with. A redesigned grille with an integrated charging port door, as well as a smoother rear bumper cap without apertures for the IC model’s noticeable tailpipes, distinguish the IC model from the basic GV70. At first inspection, the cabin appears to remain unaltered as well (at least beyond the need for different menus and displays related to the all-electric powertrain). There’s no bad news here; I adore the GV70’s rewardingly sumptuous inside just as it is, with its rich materials and shockingly broad and vibrant color palette.
Inside, the Electrified GV70 features the most up-to-date active noise cancellation technology, which has historically been focused on keeping unwelcome engine noises out of the cabin. This version, dubbed Active Noise Control-Road, uses four sensors and eight microphones to measure and analyze road noise before canceling it with opposite-phase noises.
Genesis has already stated that the GV60 electric crossover and a production version of the Electrified G80 sedan will be part of the brand’s electric car lineup in the United States. Genesis will have quite a roster of EV options—and a promising road for growth—with the addition of the Electrified GV70.
