Meet the All-Electric Genesis Essentia, a GT Coupe Concept Unveiled at New York International Auto Show

Genesis, the new luxury spinoff marque from Hyundai, revealed their new Essentia Concept at the 2018 New York International Auto Show. The Essentia in all-electric, high-performance gran turismo luxury coupe that the company says is designed around an “Athletic Elegance” paradigm, providing a vision of future Genesis product performance and technology.

“We understand our obligation as a luxury car manufacturer to create objects of desire, sparking passion and inspiration by emphasizing a culture while exceeding expectations in terms of technology and connectivity, bringing our outside world seamlessly to the inside of the vehicle,” said Manfred Fitzgerald, a former Lamborghini executive who now heads up the Genesis brand globally. “This is what the Genesis Essentia Concept is all about, and we are thrilled to introduce our interpretation of an all-electric, two-door Gran Turismo here in New York.”

Essentia is the brand’s first battery electric vehicle and features a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque, a robust, multi-motor electric powertrain, and a custom-tailored interior.  Genesis positions the concept as the brand’s initial vision of a true GT car that would challenge the status quo as the ultimate manifestation of Genesis design and engineering.

“The Genesis Essentia concept defines our vision for an electric Gran Turismo that integrates Athletic Elegance and Genesis DNA as defining parameters,” said Executive Vice President Luc Donckerwolke, Head of Genesis Design. “A Gran Turismo typology highlights our ambition as a luxurious car brand for the connoisseurs and it is the perfect base to project our DNA in the future.”

Our take? It’s a striking concept, but one that’s a little too heavy on the sci-fi look for our taste. And, as is the case with any concept car, whether the Essentia or anything close to it will see the production light of day is of course uncertain.