Momentum is building for Hyundai’s luxury subsidiary Genesis. The South Korean Lexus and Infinity rival is expanding its portfolio with stellar new offerings in the form of the G70 sedan, GV70 crossover and GV80 SUV.
It isn’t stopping there either, with a plethora of electrified models on the horizon aiming to push right into Tesla territory. One of them is a compact SUV codenamed JW, which aims to combine striking looks with innovative technology. Intrigued? Well, let’s take a spy shot-based, illustrated preview at its design and everything else we know to date.
Mint Aesthetics
You could argue the JW has a hint of the Genesis Mint concept that debuted a stunning new design direction back at the 2019 New York Auto Show. Unfortunately, things do get a little lost in the translation from concept to production, with the JW sporting more occupant-friendly proportions shared with the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia CV EVs. The end result is a bit of a cross between a tall hatch and an SUV-Coupes.
See Also: Here’s What We Know About The 2021 Hyundai 45 Electric Crossover
Nonetheless, frontal styling is sleek with its reinterpreted, low-mounted Genesis crest grille, split LED headlights and a sculptured hood. The view from the side reveals smooth surfacing combined with an upright glasshouse and blacked-out pillars for a floating-roof effect, while the rear is dominated by a fastback-style tail with split taillights mimicking the frontal lamps.
Packed With Tech
Like the recently revealed GV70 crossover, the JW has a spacious interior which combines opulent styling, premium materials and new technology to rival the best in business. Intelligent features include optional side-view cameras instead of traditional mirrors, wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, digital car key, touch controller with handwriting recognition and cloud-based voice recognition.
Underpinning the digital driver’s display and infotainment touchscreen is NVIDIA’s Drive platform, which incorporates audiovisual, navigation, connectivity and AI-based ‘connected car’ services. Hyundai Motor Group are also investing heavily in LiDAR technology that could eventually see the JW offered with Level 3 autonomous driving. This setup would use a combination of camera radar and LiDAR sensors to help in various driving situations, including crash prevention.
Platform & Powertrain
Underpinning the electrified Genesis is the new e-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) skateboard architecture shared with the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia CV. This platform has been designed with an 800-volt electrical system and also forms the basis for other future EVs from Hyundai, Genesis and Kia.
Reports indicate it’ll use dual electric motors powering all four wheels and a 72 kWh battery pack good for an estimated range of 500 km (310 miles). As good as that sounds, further improvements are already on the cards, with South Korean battery supplier SK Innovation developing new cells which could enable a range of 500 miles (804km) via two quick 10-minute charges.
Read: Everything We Know About Kia’s New Dedicated Electric Crossover
The JW will be one of the first mainstream vehicles to offer optional wireless charging capability, enabling owners to ditch those cumbersome charging cables. P&C technology will also be offered; it verifies users and automatically handles payments with the simple act of plugging into a charging station. Stress-free charging? Sign us up!
Rivals & Reveal
The Genesis JW will compete against EVs like the Tesla Model Y, Mercedes-Benz EQB and EQA, Audi Q4 e-Tron, Polestar 2 and BMW iX1. It’ll also be accompanied by electrified versions of the current Genesis lineup, mimicking BMW’s strategy of offering both series-derived EVs and a dedicated EV sub-brand.
An official reveal is likely to take place early next year, with a projected annual production of 22,000 units commencing June 2021.
What are your thoughts on the Genesis JW? Share your views in the comments below.
Note: The speculative illustration made by CarScoops’ artist Josh Byrnes is based on the prototypes we’ve seen, but it is in no way related to or endorsed by Genesis
