Hyundai luxury arm Genesis unveiled Tuesday evening the Genesis X convertible, the third and final electric vehicle concept of the brand’s EV future.
The reveal, held at a splashy event ahead of the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, follows the X Concept and the X Speedium Coupe — all of which fall under the Inspired by X lineup. These are all just concepts and few if any details were shared at the event. But the Genesis X convertible, and its concept siblings, aren’t just design exercises. The intent is for the vehicles, and specifically the front fascia of the Genesis X convertible, to showcase the brand’s new EV portfolio.
When asked about whether the X Convertible or something like it might soon be in customers’ garages, Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer of the Hyundai Motor Group and the Genesis automotive brand, demurred. “Let’s put it this way. I’m putting a huge amount of energy, of my energy, to make it possible,” he told TechCrunch.
The X Convertible has a hardtop roof with transparent moonroofs to keep the cabin open and spacious feeling for four passengers when the top is closed. The front of the vehicle gets Genesis’ new EV face, which is an abstract of the Genesis Crest Grille. Expect this new “face” to show up on future EVs.
The white paint on the concept is called Crane White and incorporates pearl particles according to the release. The interior is Giwa blue with Dancheong Orange stitching and a driver oriented cockpit.
Genesis calls the X Convertible, “a beacon for the brand.” And based on the reaction, perhaps it has that chance. When the vehicle was unveiled to select media and guests at a multimillion dollar beach home in Malibu, California, the audience audibly gasped a response that’s uncommon at these kinds of events.
“We have to utilize this opportunity to inject more adrenaline in the brand,” Donckerwolke said. “If somebody believes that electric vehicles cannot be sexy, Genesis will demonstrate the exact opposite.”
The X convertible shares its architecture and electric powertrain with the X Concept announced in 2021 and X Speedium Coupe concept announced in 2022.
Donckerwolke wouldn’t confirm the underpinnings of these concepts. He did tell TechCrunch: “We are working with the right partners to get the right amount of of performance, which will be in my opinion adequate performance to fit this segment.”
He continued to say that the X Convertible will “open up a new, uh, let’s say base of platform, a new platform and modular system.” Donckerwolke declined to elaborate.
Genesis continues to push the design forward, as Donckerwolke mentioned, “Normally you go to you create something and you have to limit your design to the most common denominator,” he said. “We don’t have this, we, we talk to our internal suppliers and we say, we need those seats. We need those lights. And this is, this is basically allowing us to push the boundaries a lot. And that’s basically what’s allowing us to create cars like this.”
Genesis said its aim is to “deliver products for customers to enjoy,” and given the response of the gathered attendees, the Convertible X Concept moves the brand in that direction.
Genesis teases its EV future with the Genesis X convertible by Abigail Bassett originally published on TechCrunch
