Genesis Essentia Concept is a First Look at Prettier Electric Vehicles

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

The New York Auto Show was a massive hit for SUV and crossover fans, but in the midst of the high-riding, large vehicles, Genesis unveiled something that pointed towards an electric vehicle from the brand. 

When it comes to electric vehicles or autonomous cars, which are two of the most important aspects of the automotive industry at the moment, both Hyundai and Genesis, the luxury arm that has branched off on its own from the South Korean marque, have been quiet on the front. 

Hyundai has beaten every automaker when it comes to an electric crossover, which it aptly named the Kona Electric SUV, but it hasn't made any crazy claims like Volkswagen. 

That's why the radically-styled Essentia Concept was show a show-stopper — it really did come out of left field. The all-electric, high-performance concept "elevates and reimagines the'Athletic Elegance' design paradigm, while providing a vision of future Genesis product performance and technology." 

Essentia Concept Proves Electric Cars Can Look Good

The Essentia Concept is Genesis' attempt at making an electric grand tourer and it's quite the looker. As a concept, Genesis was able to take some liberties with its design, which is gorgeous to say the least. While the majority of EVs on the road, even some concepts that we've seen before, are all geared towards attempting to eek out the most fuel efficiency, the Essentia Concept is all about looking good. 

The coupe looks like a spaceship thanks to its triangular front end, super slip headlights, bubble roof, and "Tron" like rear end. The copper-colored wheels and butterfly doors are extra pieces that give the concept its futuristic design. Sc-Fi lovers have been looking forward to futuristic cars for nearly a decade, and while the Essentia Concept may not be able to fly, it's a design that looks towards what's possible in the future. 

Genesis packaged a lot of interesting design elements into the coupe that are easy to overlook. like the transparent hood, which, at the moment, gives onlookers clear view of the vehicle's pushrod suspension setup, carbon-fiber monocoque body, and rear diffuser at the back. You could stare at the concept for hours and get lost in its design, which can't be said for electric vehicles on the road today. 

Futuristic Exterior, Modern Technology

The interior of the concept matches the futuristic design of the exterior where an enormous digital screen runs the entire length of the dashboard that's operated by a central rotary controller. There's also an 8.0-inch widescreen display located directly in front of the driver that provides pertinent information. 

While the design of the Essentia Concept is its most stunning thing, Genesis has also packed the coupe with all sorts of technology. The vehicle features vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle tech. Genesis claims the coupe will be able to inform the driver on road conditions that are up-to-the-minute to get them to their destination. But that doesn't necessarily mean the vehicle will provide the quickest or most efficient route. Instead, the concept uses machine learning intelligence to provide the driver with routes that are based off of his or her inclination. 

But the vehicle doesn't stop there. once the route has been chosen, the car tailors the driving experience to match the owner's driving preference for that road. The Essentia Concept will adjust the vehicle's chassis, performance, and even the seat position to ensure that the driver is comfortable on that road. Additionally, the vehicle also offers what Genesis refers to as, "situation-based, personalized recommendations." In plainer words, the vehicle can connect to the owner's smart home systems to preprogram the HVAC settings, turn on the lights, and allow for package deliveries. 

Another piece of technology that the Genesis has that's made possible by artificial intelligence includes voice recognition and Genesis Intelligent Assistant, which allows for two-way dialogue. It also gives drivers full vehicle control via voice command, along with individual driving behavior analysis — whatever that is — and driver mood determination. Lastly, the Essentia allows owners to transact mobile payments through the center screen, which makes handing physical money to someone else, like a tollbooth, a thing of the past.

There's Still A Lot In The Air For The Powertrain

Despite only having gas-powered offerings in its lineup, the Essentia Concept features an all-electric drivetrain. According to Genesis, the powertrain consists of a high-density battery pack and "multiple" electric motors. There's a lot of information that's unknown about the powertrain, but Genesis states that it's powerful and results in a "confident driving experience." 

For enthusiasts out there that may complain about the concept having an electric powertrain, the automaker states that the all-electric architecture is what allowed the brand to have its gorgeous lines and incredible proportions.  

One of the things that automakers still need to figure out with electric vehicles is how to package the components. Placing batteries and electric motors at the end of the vehicles affects weight distribution, making them feel tail- or noise-heavy. Genesis has figured a way around that by placing the battery pack in the center tunnel, which has an I-shape structure. Once again, this allows the coupe to have its low design, while maintaining interior space. 

While Genesis won't give away all of the Essentia Concept's specs, it claims the vehicle can get to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds. Besides that, we know that the vehicle will have "sports car-level performance." 

For automotive enthusiasts, it's hard to not like the Essentia Concept. Automakers and companies have managed to make electric vehicles more usable, but they haven't really been able to make them emotionally stirring. Genesis' concept hits on all those points, but, more importantly, it's just a concept. We highly doubt Genesis would actually make a production version of the coupe, but it could use the design for other vehicles, like its first EV. We really hope it goes down that route. 

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods