Genesis unveils GV90, its first flagship electric SUV

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung (second from right) poses with key attendees at the GV90 World Premiere held Wednesday (local time) at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. From left: Tedros Mengiste, COO of Genesis North America; Manfred Harrer, president and head of Hyundai Motor Group's R&D division; Jose Munoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor; Euisun Chung, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; and Luc Donckerwolke, president and CCO/CDO of Hyundai Motor Group. [Genesis]

Genesis has unveiled the GV90, its first full-size flagship electric SUV.

The brand held the GV90 World Premiere on Wednesday (local time) at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, revealing both the GV90 Neolun and the GV90.

The GV90 is a luxury flagship electrification model developed from the Neolun concept unveiled in 2024. Built on the eMP platform — a dedicated flagship platform — the vehicle consolidates the brand's accumulated technological capabilities, from driving technology that delivers top-tier safety and graceful movement to a host of innovations designed to offer an entirely new dimension of experience, the company said.

Genesis unveiled the GV90 Neolun and the GV90 at the GV90 World Premiere held Wednesday (local time) in San Francisco. [Genesis]

The GV90's design draws on "restrained elegance" inspired by the Korean moon jar, a traditional white porcelain vessel. At the front, newly developed wing-face MLA headlamps sweep across the fascia beneath a large clamshell hood to create a commanding presence. A chrome grille featuring two layers of three-dimensional G-Matrix patterning on the lower bumper adds a refined finishing touch.

The side profile pursues a "timeless design" — one that retains its value regardless of era — expressed through a restrained silhouette. A long 5,285-millimeter body, bold yet flowing fender volumes and large 24-inch forged wheels underscore the vehicle's flagship stature.

The rear eliminates decorative elements as much as possible to capture the pure form and flowing curves of the moon jar. Unnecessary lines are minimized, the rear spoiler is deleted, and a surface-emitting rear lamp — applied using the same cutless method as the front — along with Genesis lettering complete a smooth, unified rear design.

Interior of the GV90 Neolun First Edition. [Genesis]

The GV90 will be offered in two variants: the GV90 Neolun, which is the world's first vehicle to feature independently opening hidden B-pillar coach doors, and the GV90 with conventional swing doors. On the Neolun, the arch gate opens without a B-pillar — the front and rear doors face each other as they open — delivering an overwhelmingly open feel and generous entry space compared with conventional vehicles. A newly developed dual-motion hinge slides the rear door outward before rotating it smoothly, allowing it to open and close without interfering with the front door.

Although the B-pillar that normally supports the body side has been eliminated, rigidity is maintained through ultra-high-strength dual steel beams inside the doors, along with a structure that connects the body and doors to effectively distribute crash energy. The skeletal framework surrounding the cabin has also been widened by 1.5 times compared with the previous design, and ultra-high-strength steel tubes and high-rigidity structural foam have been applied throughout to ensure crash safety.

The GV90 is built on the eMP flagship-dedicated platform, giving it the spacious interior befitting a luxury flagship. A 3,245-millimeter wheelbase underpins a generous cabin fitted with a flat floor and slim cockpit for a more comfortable and relaxed ride. The GV90 Neolun goes further, becoming the first Hyundai Motor Group vehicle to offer power swivel seats in the front row, maximizing space versatility. Pressing a button on the door trim while stationary rotates the front seats 180 degrees so occupants can face each other, transforming the cabin into a full lounge for rest or work.

Three chassis systems work together to deliver a top-tier ride: a multi-chamber air suspension with adjustable-stiffness air springs that absorbs road impacts, improves driving stability and allows ride height to be varied as needed; a monotube-type dual-valve electronically controlled shock absorber that softens when absorbing impacts and firms up during large body movements to optimize comfort for every driving situation; and an active rear-wheel steering system that turns the rear wheels up to five degrees to reduce the turning radius to a level comparable to a mid-size car.

Safety credentials are equally impressive. The GV90 is equipped with 12 airbags. Particularly notable is the world's-first roof airbag, which rapidly deploys to cover the entire roof glass in the event of a rollover.

Additional safety features include battery thermal runaway prevention technology that blocks heat transfer between cells to improve the battery's inherent safety, and a cloud-based battery management system with a pre-diagnostic function that detects potential anomalies in advance and alerts the customer.

The GV90 carries a 123.5-kilowatt-hour high-voltage battery — the largest capacity among Hyundai Motor Group electric vehicles. The battery cells use a high-density, high-output design that raises energy density while also improving both driving performance and fast-charging capability.

The seven-seat GV90 offers a range of up to 500 kilometers on a single charge, and with a 350-kilowatt fast charger it can go from 10 percent to 80 percent battery capacity in just 22 minutes. The vehicle also features a new motor — the most powerful in the Hyundai Motor Group electric vehicle lineup — delivering a combined front-and-rear output of 490 kilowatts and maximum torque of 800 newton-meters.

The GV90 introduces a new power architecture that does away with a start button: pulling the door handle turns on the vehicle and opens the door automatically. Once the driver is seated and closes the door, the rotary shift-by-wire lever moves from the 12 o'clock to the 2 o'clock position, switching into drive mode.

A pop-up center OLED cinematic display is also fitted. While driving, a 23.6-inch widescreen shows navigation, media and driving information. When the vehicle is stationary, pressing the display expansion button on the center fascia raises the screen by 90 millimeters, enlarging it to 24.6 inches — roughly 1.7 times the retracted size — for a broader range of content.

A 25-inch head-up display lets the driver check current speed, navigation and advanced driver-assistance system status across a wider field of view without taking their eyes off the road.

The GV90 runs on Hyundai Motor Group's next-generation infotainment platform, Pleos Connect, providing a software-defined vehicle interface. Occupants can converse naturally with the in-vehicle AI agent Gleo AI to control vehicle functions, search for information and carry out a variety of tasks with ease.

Built on Android Automotive OS, the open operating system also supports Pleos App Market, through which users can freely download third-party apps designed for in-vehicle use.

The GV90's Bang & Olufsen Premier 3D sound system uses 25 speakers to fill the quiet cabin with concert-hall-quality audio. ALT (Acoustic Lens Technology) tweeters at both ends of the dashboard top, four headlining speakers, mid-range speakers and woofers are distributed throughout the cabin to deliver 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos sound with a maximized sense of space and immersion.

The premium leather seats are fitted with 15 air chambers and pulse (vibration) modules for a massage function that surpasses previous Genesis models. A metal-coated heated windshield generates heat on its own without running the climate control system, keeping the cabin comfortable while quickly clearing frost and moisture in winter.

The GV90 Neolun Executive Suite four-seat model features a radiant heating system inspired by ondol, Korea's traditional underfloor heating method, to warm the cabin. A comfort partition separating the second-row seats from the trunk blocks noise from the luggage area, creating a quiet interior for VIP passengers.

Further features include a smart vision roof that uses polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film to adjust transparency across six zones; standard top-grade soft semi-aniline leather seats; and a second-row tower console, refrigerator and table.

"The GV90 is a flagship SUV that demonstrates Genesis' unwavering commitment to differentiated customer experiences and technology, and it will be an important landmark toward the future of luxury mobility," said Jose Munoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor.

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