Genesis Reportedly Considering Hybrids Amid Uncertain EV Demand
Genesis had this big plan to launch only pure electric vehicles starting in 2025 and stop selling vehicles with an internal combustion engine by 2030, but that may not be what’s going to happen, after all.
According to a report by Korea Economic Daily, the same media outlet that claimed earlier this week that a Kia Seltos Hybrid will be part of the second generation due for 2026, uncertainty with global EV demand right now has Hyundai’s luxury brand considering the addition of hybrid variants of existing models as early as 2025.
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Is this report credible or not? The information is said to come from industry sources in the know, but it’s safer to only talk about rumours at this point.
The publication goes on to specify that the new hybrids won’t be the plug-in type offering a certain EV range. The most likely scenario involves the same powertrain that motivates the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Santa Fe Hybrid, namely a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor.
Early candidates reportedly include the GV70 compact SUV and the G80 midsize sedan, both of which are already available in fully electric configuration—though not based on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP architecture like the electric-only GV60.
If true, Genesis will join a growing list of car companies that are scaling back their bold EV plans, such as Ford, General Motors and more recently Mercedes-Benz. GM has confirmed it will bring back plug-in hybrids to its lineup in the coming years, with huge sellers like the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups believed to be among the first to get the treatment.
