Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, just revealed its first full-size, three-row electric SUV for the US market, the GV90. And arguably it has some of the wildest designs and features in the auto market today.
Right off the bat, the coach-style doors signal that things aren’t what they seem with the GV90. When the front and rear doors open outward, the B-pillar disappears, creating an extra-large opening into the vehicle — because you’re the kind of person who can afford it.
Genesis is calling it the Neolun Arch Gate, “the world’s first independently opening and closing hidden B-pillar coach door.” But it’s more than just that.
To be sure, as the middle post between the front and back doors, the B-pillar is critical for vehicle safety. This is the vertical metal support needed as reinforcement against roof collapses during rollover. The B pillar also absorbs crash energy during a T-bone collision. And here’s Genesis being like, “What if we got rid of it for the biggest possible entrance into the vehicle?” That’s wild.
Thankfully, Genesis doesn’t dismiss the safety implications of a B-pillar-less vehicle. The company claims to have created a new structure that “seamlessly marries the doors to the vehicle body while maintaining the highest safety standards.” It replaces the B-pillar with “high-strength dual steel beams” selected for their rigidity that joins the doors and body and “effectively disperses collision forces.” Here’s more on that:
A concealed yet robust roll cage is created by reinforcing the passenger cabin with a frame 1.5 times thicker than conventional vehicles and fortifying it with integrated high-strength steel tubes and structural foam. This hidden roll cage structure protects occupants while achieving crash safety performance equivalent to vehicles with conventional B-pillars.
Whether or not this meets the standards for safety will be up to the regulators and third-party groups that test these things for a living. If the GV90 passes its crash tests with flying colors, we’ll know that the new architecture works. And that really could open up a new door (pun definitely intended) of what’s possible with vehicle designs. If it fails those tests, the GV90 could become a footnote in the book on misguided vehicle designs (right next to the Fiat Multipla, with its two-tiered upper cabin that made it look like a car stacked on top of another car).
Genesis didn’t stop at coach doors, though. The front seats can rotate 180 degrees to face the second row, creating a lounge-like environment. This was a feature found commonly in early autonomous vehicle designs, but rarely seen in a production-intent vehicle. The idea was that when we didn’t have to drive the vehicle ourselves, we could sit facing our fellow passengers, like we’re riding in a 19th-century stagecoach. Zoox used this idea in its purpose-built robotaxis — and now Genesis is bringing the idea to its flagship SUV. Of course, Genesis intends for the seats to be rotated only when parked, not while driving.
Inside, you’ll find a 23.6-inch OLED Cinematic Display that can rise 90 millimeters and expand into a 24.6-inch display. There’s also a 25-inch heads-up display to replace the conventional instrument cluster, and it displays details like speed, navigation, and driver assist levels. And speaking of driver assist, there’s a feature called Memory Reversing Assist that remembers the vehicle’s path and can automatically guide it backward out of narrow alleys or parking spots.
The regular EV stuff is almost the least interesting part about this SUV. The GV90 rides on a 123.5kWh battery with 800 nominal volts controlled by a wireless battery management system. It feeds power to two electric drive units, each with its own electronically controlled limited-slip differential for a combined power output of 657 horsepower and 590lb-ft of torque. It supports 350kW DC fast charging, but the estimated range is only 310 miles.
Back to the cavalcade of whimsy. You’ve heard of heated seats. But what about heated floors? Or heated armrests, side panels, and door trims? There’s massaging seats with 15 individual air bladders, and a heated windshield that uses a thin metallic coating to remove winter frost without having to rely on climate control. And a roof airbag. An airbag for your roof. An airbag that covers the entire glass roof and protects you in case of rollover. Roof airbag.
There are other phrases in this announcement that are equally difficult to wrap one’s head around. But I think what’s clear is that Genesis is trying to do it all. In an age of EV pessimism in the US, in which other automakers are retreating to their corners and trying to recalibrate for affordability and profitability, Genesis is saying, “Fuck everything, we’re doing five blades.”