Genesis quietly joined the ranks of automakers with an electric sedans in their lineup this month, with the equally quiet debut of the Electrified G80. If the badge sounds familiar, that's because the sedan is the electric version of the gas-engined G80, which has been on sale since the 2017 model year, making that version one of the older models in the brand's lineup. But despite the curious "Electrified" name, it's not a hybrid-it's all electric.
The Electrified G80 (which should have just been badged the G80EV), based on its size and price lands smack in the middle of the full-size electric sedan segment, on paper making it a competitor to the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Lucid Air, and the Tesla Model S, along with the BMW i7 going into production this fall.
Powered by an 87.2-kWh battery, the Electrified G80 has 365 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque on tap, sent to all four wheels. Able to get from 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds, this version of the G80 does not try to do anything ludicrous at stop lights, but its 350-kW DC fact-charging speed of 22 minutes from 10% to 80% is perhaps the more impressive statistic.
Among other things, the 87.2-kWh battery gives this G80 a manufacturer-estimated range of 282 miles. The dual-motor version of the G80 is the only one in the lineup, so that's the only range number we can report at the moment.
On the outside, there are not too many tell-tale signs that this version of the G80 is electric, but the solid crest grille is the main one. But on the inside, the floor is a bit higher to accommodate the battery underneath, so the roof has been raised by a fraction of an inch. Rear-wheel steering is standard, as on the other two main challengers in this segment, while a 14.5-inch screen atop the dash may not be the stadium seating cineplex experience now mandatory in this genre, with the G80 keeping plenty of physical buttons and knobs. This should make it an interesting option for those allergic to Tesla's approach with a large, multi-function screen, though in practice we suspect there may not be that much cross-shopping of the two-the sedans appear to take distinctly different approaches to luxury.
The Electrified G80 starts at $80,920, which makes it a bit of a bargain in this particular segment, perhaps creating more competition for the midsize Mercedes-Benz EQE, rather than the full-size sedans that will soon be joined by the BMW i7. But it won't be eligible for the federal tax credit under the new rules, as it's built in South Korea and also exceeds the price cap for passenger cars.
Also, you might not see the Electrified G80 on your commute for a while. That's because the sales of the sedan have started in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and California, to be joined by four western states soon. So the sedan will be in limited release for a while, to borrow a phrase from Hollywood.