Genesis has a new flagship on the way in the form of the GV90 – a full-size, all-electric, luxury SUV. In luxury terms, the Genesis GV90 will compete with Mercedes and Bentley at the top-end of the SUV market. It’s the South Korean brand’s most ambitious vehicle yet, and to pull all that weight around, it needs a big battery.
Technical details surfaced through South Korea’s Ministry of Environment online, giving us a big hint about the GV90s available power. Emphasis there on the word big.
More Battery, More Range, More Power
2027 Genesis GV90 EV spied testing on the NürburgringSHProshots
Korean Car Blog spotted the leaked information showing the GV90’s battery, and it’s bigger than anything from its Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 cousins. Per the leak, the gross output exceeds 120 kWh, easily topping the 110 kWh gross battery in the Ioniq 9. It even eclipses the battery in the Mercedes EQS, but it’s still light years away from the monstrous battery pack from General Motors. The GMC Hummer and Cadillac Escalade iQ uses a pack with nearly twice the capacity, though that pack alone weighs as much as a small car.
Specifically, the leak reveals a gross capacity of 123.52 kWh for the GV90, with a usable capacity. The info stems from an emissions certification document, which also shows the layout and horsepower of the GV90.
Power And Range Before You’re Supposed To Know It
It looks like the GV90 will use a front-mounted electric motor making 322 horsepower, then a 335 hp unit at the rear for a combined 657 bhp (666 hp). That means the GV90 should be a fast SUV when it wants to be, but like all EVs with big packs, it’s going to be heavy. The curb weight is checking in at 6,680 pounds. But, the key feature for a luxury SUV is an abundance of smooth, quiet power, weight be dammed. The GV90 should certainly have all that.
What it may not have a lot of is range. The documents expect the EPA estimated range to be just 295 to 305 miles,and that’s based on the fact that the South Korean EV certification protocols are directly adapted from the US EPA multi-cycle testing procedure. Presumably, the difference will depend on options that include the 22-inch or 24-inch wheels. But such a big pack with a range of around 300 miles is a bit of a surprise.
Luxury In Abundance
Genesis Neolun Concept front 3/4Genesis
Judging by our spy photos, the GV90 is going to follow the Neolun concept closely, including the Rolls-Royce-style rear coach doors. Inside, it remains to be seen if the GV90 will include the concept’s front seat design that allows them to rotate to face the rear seats. That seems unlikely, but the spy shots show there’s no traditional instrument cluster ahead of the driver, meaning a head-up display will likely handle key information.
Likely to come over from the concept is a cinema-style rear entertainment screen that folds down from the roof, the wood flooring, and upscale materials such as silk leather and cashmere wool. While a six- or seven-seat configuration has been noted in the link, we’re also expecting a four-seat configuration for limousine-style use.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Genesis Neolun Concept cabinGenesis
While sub-compact, compact, and midsize all-electric vehicles are now common, full-size all-electric SUVs aren’t. That’s down to the capacity of the battery needed to create a realistic range. It’s not just about cost, though. There’s a point of diminishing returns in terms of weight. It’s not the size of the battery that’s the problem, it’s the weight.
What we don’t know is the battery weight or type of the GV90. We’re curious because a top-trim Cadillac Escalade ESV weighs 6,241 pounds, meaning the GV90’s 6,680 pounds isn’t carrying much of a weight penalty for its battery. For perspective, that’s only 2.1 average American males of extra weight.
Source: Korean Car Blog
