Genesis GV60 electric crossover gets Need for Speed-style Boost and Drift modes

Genesis GV60
(Image credit: Genesis)

South Korean automaker Genesis has lifted the veil on the specs drivers can expect from its newest electric car, the GV60.

Modelled on the same E-GMP platform as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and forthcoming Kia EV6, the Genesis GV60 marks the first dedicated electric vehicle for the brand – which is the luxury vehicle division of the Hyundai Motor Group – and aims to combine practical performance with premium styling.

We've previously reported on the car's impressive interior design, but now Genesis has revealed some of the performance specs packed into its athletic-looking crossover – including some pretty exciting driver modes.  

For starters, the GV60 will be available in three models, all of which will be powered by a 77.4 kWh battery that can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes, so say Genesis. 

The standard variant of the car has a single electric motor capable of producing 225bhp, a figure that rises to 314bhp on the all-wheel-drive model and again to an impressive 429bhp on the high-performance GV60. 

That increased power, inevitably, affects the range of the latter, with the top-end model sporting a max mileage of 368km (around 229 miles), though the rear and all-wheel-drive versions will boast 451km (around 280 miles) and 400km (roughly 250 miles) of range, respectively. 

Slip 'N Slide 

More interesting than its efficiency figures, though, are the GV60's novel driver modes, which include Sport, Boost and Drift options on the all-wheel-drive models. 

To activate the latter, Genesis told Cnet that drivers will need to step on the brake when stationary, select Sport mode, hold the ESC button to turn off traction control and then pull both steering wheel paddles for 3 seconds. 

This will allow for an uninterrupted flow of power to the GV60's rear axle (and therefore more oversteer) and also, according to the brand, more efficient energy consumption.

The Genesis GV60 in Drift mode

The Genesis GV60 in Drift mode (Image credit: Genesis)

But there's a Boost mode, too, which increases the power output of the high-performance model from 429bhp to 483 hp for a 10-second period. 

Genesis says, in this mode, the GV60 can accelerate to 62mph in just 4 seconds – which makes Boost mode sound a lot like an injection of Need for Speed-esque nitrous.

Elsewhere in the GV60, active road noise cancellation tech will keep the car as quiet as possible, though drivers can also choose to employ the customary selection of artificial driving noises we've seen in other sporty EVs. 

Then there's the electronically adjustable dampers, facial recognition technology and a system called Road Preview, which uses data from the car's camera feed and navigation system to adjust suspension settings on the fly for extra comfort.

Basically, the GV60 is one kitted-out electric car, and looks set to offer drivers a whole lot of fun alongside its practical performance credentials. 

We don't know how much it'll cost yet, but the car will be launching in South Korea later this year, followed by the US, Europe and other regions sometime in 2022.

Axel Metz
Phones Editor

Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.  Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.