Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, has shifted its promise towards fully transitioning to electric cars in the next 10 years. Good news for electrification enthusiasts is that they are transitioning to a dual strategy that also involves hybrid cars.
The manufacturer stated that the next-generation hybrids will not only bring efficiency and performance improvements compared to current models, but they will also borrow features that have mostly been reserved for pure electric vehicles. Last year, Genesis’ global head, Mike Song, mentioned that buyers clearly prefer hybrid cars over pure electric ones, and the company has been working on new electric models to meet this demand. They have now been testing prototypes for their future hybrid vehicle lineup, which also includes Extended-Range Electric Vehicles (EREV).
According to Manfred Harrer, a senior engineer responsible for powertrains, performance will be the primary focus guiding the creation of the next-generation electric vehicles from Genesis. Harrer said, “With my background in vehicle dynamics and performance, my latest mission is to marry Genesis’ premium luxury approach with an incredibly appealing performance approach.”
We don’t know much about the upcoming EREVs from this brand, but Harrer shared some insights after spending time with the prototype. He added, “The beauty of EREVs lies in the combination of EV driving characteristics – instant high torque and a quiet cabin – with a longer range. However, there is more to EREVs than just range. There is also enough power for towing capacity – energy to pull something like a horse trailer – which is still a challenge unresolved with EVs.”
Genesis’ new EREVs will be a smaller battery version of the manufacturer’s future EVs, which will also feature a combustion-powered generator to extend their range and charging.
All vehicles built on the new platform will have rear-wheel drive bias, which Harrer said will have a positive impact on the driving dynamics. Hyundai recently unveiled some specifications of its new hybrid system, which will likely be used on Genesis models. One of the innovations it introduced is having an integrated starter generator and hybrid traction motor in the gearbox for smoother operation and reduced noise and vibration in transmissions capable of powering up to 340 horsepower.
Hyundai noted that with the hybrid system, fuel efficiency increases by up to 45% and power by 19% compared to non-hybrid models with the same engine. For mid-range models, Hyundai will use a smaller 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with slightly lower torque output. Palisade is Hyundai’s first hybrid with two-way vehicle-to-load charging (V2L), allowing it to power external equipment from a 1.65-kilowatt-hour battery. V2L will be a feature of all future Hyundai (and Genesis) hybrid cars, not just in the brand’s electric cars.
Manfred Harrer also discussed the 600+ hp Genesis GV60 Magma, a hot version expected to debut later this year. It will be Genesis’ first model to bear the Magma designation, which will be used for all of the manufacturer’s best performance offerings. Exciting prospects lie ahead for Genesis and Hyundai, and the company says you will be pleased with whichever powertrain you choose.
