Genesis’ new X Speedium Coupe concept is said to preview what prospective customers “can expect from [the brand’s] next wave of electric vehicles.”
Genesis, the premium arm of Hyundai, pulled the silks from its X Speedium Coupe at the New York Auto Show to highlight both the brand’s electrification strategy moving forward and the ‘reductive’ design language its upcoming EV range could boast.
GENESIS X SPEEDIUM
Indeed, the design of the ‘Speedium’, so-named in honour of South Korea’s Inje Speedium circuit that opened in 2013, is also said to represent Genesis’ belief that the “emotional value” of a design can still be prevalent, even on vehicles boasting all-electric drivetrains.
Genesis was quick to point out, however, that, despite showcasing a reductive ‘less is more’ design language principle that could well shape its future line-up, the concept should not be seen as a preview to an upcoming production model. Rather, the design “challenges the status quo of a defined car type.”
GENESIS X SPEEDIUM
“This car is an open-door moment in Genesis’ journey towards our future EV design,” Genesis chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke explains. “This isn’t a show car — it’s a look into our design processes as we explore ideas for the next wave of EVs, one that incorporates Genesis’ DNA.”
Inspired heavily by the X Concept that debuted last year, the Speedium features full-width ‘Two Lines’ headlamp design at the front that incorporates the daytime running lights, and also evokes the Genesis crest. Interestingly, Genesis is set to carry this design signature as the ‘face’ of its EV line-up as the Korean brand transitions to fully-electric by 2030.
Hourglass ‘anti-wedge’ lines are the main focus down the flanks, as is the extended shooting brake roofline, while at the back, the split, horizontal brake lights, a staple on Genesis production models, have been joined by a third v-shaped brake light on the ducktail spoiler. The diamond cut wheels in the flared wheel arches are more complex that the X Concept’s five-spoke examples, and the slim digital wing mirrors have also transitioned across.
In a further nod to the South Korean racetrack, the concept’s metallic paint is called ‘Inje Green,’ a colour that both represents the mountainous landscape surrounding the circuit and is also said to reflect the concept’s “dynamism, speed, and timeless elegance.”
Alongside the concept’s design, Genesis also gave further details regarding its electrification push, particularly in North America. In the US alone, the premium brand moved 11,700 units in the first quarter of 2022, its highest figure since entering the market in 2016. In an effort to build on this growth, Genesis’ first production EV – the Electrified GV70 – will first be sold in the North American market. Manufacture of the luxury e-SUV at Genesis’ facility in Montgomery, Alabama, is scheduled to begin this December.
The GV70 is the first model in a new, six-car all-electric line-up Genesis plans to release before 2030.
