Where other manufacturers may be pulling back from the EV market, Genesis showed it remains committed with the launch of its new flagship, the GV90 – including the special-edition Neolum. Headlight.News checks out the three-row SUV based on the earlier Neolum concept.
The Genesis GV90 Neolum seen with its doors open,
Genesis has never been shy about pushing design boundaries with its concept vehicles, among them the big Neolum SUV revealed in 2024 at the New York Auto Show. As always, the immediate question was whether the Korean luxury brand would take things from concept to reality.
It’s now given us the answer. On Thursday, Genesis lifted the covers on what’s to become its new flagship – or, perhaps, we should call it two flagships. That includes the three-row, seven-seat GV90, as well as a limited-edition GV90 Neolum package.
The more mainstream of the two hews doesn’t stray far from the existing Genesis design language. The Neolum, however, from the original 2024 concept vehicle – among other things carrying into production its pillarless coach doors.
What’s new
The 23.6-inch touchscreen can rise out of the IP when parked, making it more fun to watch videos or play games.
The first thing to note about the GV90 is that it is all-electric, Genesis making it clear that while a number of other luxury brands are pulling back from their plans for battery power it remains heavily committed.
Then there’s the fact that Genesis is offering two very distinct versions of the GV90. The brand’s entry into the three-row segment was all bug certain, considering where the rest of the industry has gone. And the seven-seater is pretty much what you’d expect, starting with a Genesis-style approach to technology that includes a large retractable touchscreen and a massive head-up display.
The surprise was the move to capture features that made the original Neolum concept so popular, including the pillarless coach doors. Open them up and you discover a “living room on wheels” cabin theme with just four seats, the rear buckets seemingly lifted from the latest business jet.
Powertrain
The interior of the GV90 Neolum First Edition.
GV90 uses the same E-GMP platform underpinning the other Genesis EVs – as well as those from the Hyundai and Kia brands. It’s an 800-volt system – something that helps boost range and performance while also reducing charging times.
The big SUV is powered by a 123.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which, in its seven-seat configuration, provides enough energy to deliver an EPA – estimated 310 miles of range.
New electric drive units deliver more power than we’ve seen on earlier Hyundai Motor Group EVs, the two-motor package providing 333 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque up front, and 335 hp and 332 lb-ft in the rear. Because of the way power comes on, however, that yields final figures of 657 hp and 590 lb-ft.
While range is far from benchmark in the three-row EV class, Genesis hopes to compensate with quick charging times – as little as 22 minutes to go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge when plugged into a 350-kW DC quick charger. The new model uses the Tesla-style NACS plug, further expanding the number of places you can power back up.
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Technology
The GV90 will introduce the world’s first roof airbag for rollovers.
Look inside and the massive touchscreen is certain to be the first think you’ll notice. It measures 23.6 inch diagonally. What’s particularly unusual is the fact that it can rise 3.4 inches higher than normal when the SUV is parked, making it easier for everyone onboard to watch videos.
Other features include an oversized augmented-reality head-up display and a 25-speaker 3D audio system from Bang & Olufson.
From a safety standpoint there’ll be a vast array of advanced driver assistance systems – though, for the moment, at least, it’s unclear if Genesis will have true hands-free capabilities ready by the GV90’s launch for the 2028 model year. Add to the list 12 airbags – including a world’s first roof airbag designed to operate in the event of a rollover.
Availability and pricing
Look for the 2028 Genesis GV80 to debut during the second half of 2027. The automaker plans to focus initially on the most exclusive versions, including the four-seat GV90 Neolum First Edition.
Pricing has yet to be revealed but there’ve been signals suggesting the most mainstream version will start somewhere in the $100,000 range. That starts moving Genesis up into Mercedes-Benz territory, a goal company officials have long aspired to.
The Neolum First Edition package is expected to come in closer to $150,000, the sort of number you might expect from a Mercedes-Maybach package.
We should have more details by early next year.
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