Outwardly, the Electrified GV70 looks nearly identical to the conventional GV70 that it’s based on. Not only is it devoid of any badging to give away the all-electric powertrain beneath, but even the front charging port has been so well integrated into the grille that first-time users are unlikely to find it.
Unlike the Genesis GV60, which was built on an EV-specific platform, the “Electrified GV70”—yes, the name is silly, which is why we’ll be referring to it as the GV70 EV—is essentially a conversion of the gas-only GV70 model. Nonetheless, we found it to be one of the nicest EVs we’ve ever driven, with thrilling acceleration, capable handling, a comfortable ride, and a quiet and pampering cabin. Unfortunately, its driving range is on the short side, and converting the existing GV70 to an EV brought some slight interior compromises, including a taller driver’s seat height that some found awkward. And just as with the regular GV70, the EV’s controls are very distracting to use.
The 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery that’s tucked under the GV70 EV’s floor yielded a dismally brief 220 miles in our 70-mph highway range test. That’s modest by today’s standards, and falls short of its less expensive GV60 stablemate, which managed 251 miles in the same test. That driving range is also well behind the Ford Mustang Mach-E's nearly 300 miles. On the bright side, the GV70 EV’s 10.9-kW onboard charger makes for relatively speedy home replenishment if it’s installed on a 50-amp circuit. Further, its 240-kW max acceptance rate at public DC fast chargers is among the best. But, we only saw a peak of 100 kW during a visit to an Electrify America station. We’re also not fond of the front charging port that’s located in the grille—it can be awkward to reach when parked in tight places. Most EV charge ports are located on the front-side or rear-side of the vehicle.
Standard dual electric motors give the GV70 EV the tenacious traction of all-wheel drive, and thanks to a prodigious 429 horsepower, it zips from 0 to 60 mph in an impressive 4 seconds flat—quicker than most of its competitors. Yet it delivers the abundant torque in a smooth and refined fashion, without feeling like it’s trying to snap your neck if you step hard on the accelerator pedal from a stop.
When the going gets curvy, the GV70 EV proved taut, capable, and engaging to drive. It’s not quite as agile as the fine-handling regular GV70, in part because of the extra 730 pounds the EV version carries, but it’s still good fun through the twisty bits nonetheless. Ride comfort is pleasant with a plush, yet steady and tied-down feel, although larger bumps punch through to the cabin more than we noticed with the gas-only GV70. The interior is quiet and free of any unwanted electric whines, further contributing to the Genesis’ luxurious feel.
Like many EVs, the brakes can be annoyingly touchy at low speeds, making smooth stops tricky. But we appreciate how easy Genesis (and Hyundai and Kia, with their EVs) makes it for the driver to adjust the level of regenerative braking—which recoups energy during coasting or braking, sending it back to the battery—on the fly by using the paddles located behind the steering wheel.
The elegant cabin comes with lots of padded surfaces, aluminum trim, high-quality buttons, and textured knobs and stalks. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, with a wide array of adjustments, including a power thigh-extender and four-way lumbar support for both the driver and front passenger. But several drivers noted that they felt like they were riding too tall in the saddle, due to the higher floor thanks to the battery pack located below. Rear-seat room is decent, although, again, the higher floor results in less underleg support than in the conventional model; but overall it’s still comfortable.
As with other Genesis models, the GV70 EV’s finicky rotary controller dial makes navigating through the infotainment screen an aggravating affair, due to the multiple options and menus. As a remedy, the dashboard display can be used as a touchscreen, but it’s a long reach for the driver. Plus, the equally-sized rotary gear-selector knob is placed directly behind the infotainment dial on the center console, causing drivers to grab the wrong dial countless times. It’s also unfortunate that getting a heated steering wheel requires opting for the top-line Prestige trim.
Standard active safety and driver assistance features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, reverse automatic emergency braking, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.