Is Genesis G80 Electrified the best Luxury EV?

Is the Genesis G80 Electrified the best electric luxury car?

That interesting question can be answered in just a few short sentences:

It is currently the only luxury EV under 200 grand that can charge at up to 350kw
Genesis consistently rates number one in the J.D.Power reliability survey.

Normally that would be an end to it, and the review would, rather boringly, be over. However, the Korean car maker still has a way to go to tempt posh buyers out of BMW, Mercedes and Audi, because many of those buyers are motivated not quality, but by badge. It is not loyalty, but snobbery.

There is another side of the coin too, and that is that the Germans still lag behind in the EV race, with Tesla still being seen as King. Interestingly, like the Germans, Tesla cannot charge at 350kw, so one wonders why it has such a stranglehold on the EV market. But, does it?

Tesla is rapidly losing market share especially at the entry level of the market where Chinese auto makers are killing it. At every other level, Tesla is being challenged, and the only thing left as a unique selling point is the charging network. Currently, the vast charging infrastructure is only available to Tesla owners, which once was free, but now it is not.

Video Review: the 2023 Genesis G80 Electrified the Best Luxury EV under 200 grand? Full Review

Video Review: the 2023 Genesis G80 Electrified 1 minute review

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ABOVE: 2023 Genesis G80 Electrified

So, back to Genesis.

It finds itself in uncharted waters, backed by a big international player. Parent company, Hyundai, is bringing out electric vehicles left and right. Kia’s EV6 has killer looks, with the recent GT model getting gongs all over the place. Hyundai has the ever-expanding IONIQ range, and Genesis now has 3 EV models of its very own. G80 Electrified joins GV70 Electrified and GV60, the latter on the same platform as EV6 and IONIQ5.

G80 is very handsome indeed. Its interior is strewn with lashings of luscious leather and wood trim, and there are luxurious soft close doors. the front seats heat and cool, and will gently rub their occupants in their nether regions.

There is an electric rear blind, and manual side blinds, and a decent sound system. The EV includes the Luxury Pack, so there are rear seat tablets and other little pleasures.

The Drive:

OK babes, you’re going to expect Genesis G80 electrified to be packing, and, it is. At a smidge over 2,300 KGs, the 4.9 second 0-100 dash is astonishing.

Drive modes can be caressed and fettled to suit the driver. It appeals to gay boys too, even those with ambitions above their station. Casper, Max, Raffie, and I, headed out of town for a quickie short get away. READ ABOUT IT HERE

AWD helps the vicious grip under the harshest of take-offs, as well as making tight bends less bum-clenching.

Download a specifications sheet HERE: ElectrifiedG80Specifications(September2022)

Apart from possible charging issues, long distance drives would be thoroughly fabulous, with the big Genesis making travellers feel like royalty. Everything, from climate to ride, feels posh. Genesis G80 Electrified is incredibly quiet, and our range showed as 528km on the day we collected it. That’s 8km above the projected max.

There is a fly in the EV ointment though, and it is the above-mentioned sub-par chargers.

Without access to sockets at home, EV owners rely on public outlets. The biggest network is Chargefox, but it is suffering badly from growing pains. The two 350kw chargers at my local shops have spent 80% of the last 3 years, out of action, and the co-located 50kw unit is almost as bad. ICE drivers can simply limp to the next forecourt, but EV owners must stay in line if their battery is low. If the charger is out of order, the owner is also out of luck. We’ve discovered the Chargefox app is approximate at best. If shown as available, the outlet may not be. And, if it is available, it may not be working. It is a complete shambles.

There is much work being done to get outlets installed in unit blocks, but that is of little use to someone buying an EV now. The government must get of its publicly-funded bum, and get some reliable power units now, not in 10 years’ time.

Now that I’ve had my bitch, I can finish the review with a couple of final thoughts:

Genesis G80 Electrified is fast, very fast. It is good looking, spacious, quiet, reliable, and thoroughly delightful on the road. It isn’t a sports car, but will out accelerate most V8 mainstream cars built in the last 10 years. Only supercars are faster.

The CO2 per km is less, even if charged by coal power, than an equivalent ICE car, and that really annoys EV the demented EV decriers.

Finally, just as LEXUS did, Genesis will overcome the ties to a mainstream brand. Genesis offers a free home charger, or free Chargefox fast charging, as well as a host of other owner benefits.

READ ABOUT THERE HERE: ElectrifiedG80Specifications(September2022)

Car: 2023 genesis G80 Electrified $145,000