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First Genesis Hybrid SUV To Take On BMW X5 In 2026 Showdown
For a relatively young carmaker like Genesis, there are still many firsts ahead for the company as it slowly aligns with the more complete model lineups from the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The next "first" for Genesis is a hybrid - even though it has a few EVs, Hyundai's luxury arm has yet to release a hybrid. That's set to change next year, as a new report from Korea JoongAng Daily states that the brand's first hybrid will go into production in September 2026. It's not the only hybrid planned, as Genesis deviates from an earlier goal to become an all-electric brand by 2025.
Mass production of the Genesis GV80 hybrid is scheduled to begin in September 2026, with a GV70 hybrid to follow in March 2027.
"The production of the GV80 hybrid will start in September 2026 in Ulsan, while the fully revamped GV80 hybrid is slated for the second half of 2028," said a source that was familiar with the brand's production timelines.
Although a market launch date wasn't given, it's possible that the new GV80 hybrid could arrive before the end of 2026, and it should boost what are already strong Genesis sales.
Genesis is targeting hybridization of its larger models first, as these are likely to sell strongly in the United States. In the GV80 hybrid, we expect an electric motor to be paired with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. Mercedes uses a similar setup in the GLE 450e, although that's a plug-in hybrid. Nevertheless, this will be one of the GV80 hybrid's main rivals. We do expect the GV80 hybrid to comfortably undercut the GLE 450e's starting price of $71,350, though. The same goes for the BMW X5 xDrive50e, which starts at $73,800. Interestingly, BMW has plans for an even hotter X5 hybrid.
Genesis already offers more features for a lower price than either of these rivals, and a hybrid GV80 will give brand snobs another reason to sit up and take notice.
After the GV80, hybrid powertrains are also expected for the GV70 SUV and G80 sedan. Of the three, the most intriguing update will be for the GV70, which is also set to get an EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) variant. With this setup, a gas engine will provide power for the electric motors, but it won't drive the wheels directly.
The conventional GV70 and G80 hybrids are likely to use the same 2.5-liter turbo engine as the GV80 hybrid, but possibly in different states of tune. Ultimately, Genesis is taking a more varied approach to powertrains over the next few years, instead of working towards an EV-only lineup.
"Completely transforming or transferring to EVs is taking longer than expected. We cannot push so hard and bring only EVs to the market. It was a bold goal from us years ago, but we must adjust and face the reality of differences in our customers - that not every customer is ready to go there," said Manfred Harrer, head of the Genesis & Performance Development Tech Unit at Hyundai Motor.
Over a year ago, Hyundai said it would boost hybrid production in the face of disappointing EV sales. This strategy seems to have filtered through to the Genesis luxury marque, too.
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