The Genesis GV60 is now available to order with face recognition technology to lock and unlock the car following a model-year update - a world first, according to its maker.
Owners can set the car up - initially using the key to confirm ownership - to recognise their features using biometric data, and then access it by looking into a camera located on the door pillar. The system, called Face Connect, uses the same technology found on modern mobile phones to unlock their screens.
The system can also use a fingerprint recognition system to verify the owner’s identity for enhanced security. Genesis says the system is secure as a result of its encrypted software and the information is stored and managed via the car’s HMI system, rather than being uploaded and stored remotely from the car.
GV60s ordered from now come with the option of the face recognition technology. Other updates include a standard massaging driver’s seat and heated front and rear seats.
Prices start from £53,905 in the UK for entry-level Premium cars, which include a 12.3in infotainment system, wireless phone charging and a host of safety systems as standard.
Premium models are driven by a 225bhp rear-mounted electric motor, powered by a 73kWh battery with a claimed 321 miles of range.
Next-step Sport models, from £58,365, gain four-wheel drive thanks to the addition of a 99bhp electric motor to the front axle. Total power stands at 314bhp. The range-topping Sport Plus, at £67,505, is driven by a 482bhp powertrain with four-wheel drive. Both deliver up to 446lb ft of torque.
All three models are equipped with the same 73kWh battery pack as standard, which can be replenished using a 350kW rapid charge from 10-80% in just 18 minutes. The Sport model is capable of 292 miles on a single charge and top-rung Sport Plus versions offer 289 miles.
The GV60 is offered with several optional extras, including comfort seats, nappa leather, a premium Bang & Olufsen audio system and an outdoor pack, which enables vehicle-to-load charging. Other extras include digital side-view mirrors and a panoramic sunroof, along with a choice of 14 exterior colours.
Genesis will launch only EVs from 2025 and will end ICE sales five years after that.
Q&A: Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis chief brand officer
Is this an evolution of the 2019 Mint concept?
“The Mint concept wasn’t supposed to be this big. We wanted it to be much more compact. But we noticed that it wasn’t addressing the right customer segment, so we needed to make something bigger. The Mint isn’t out of the plans, but it’s not part of the main line-up we have defined, because of pure volume and demand.”
Why go with this size of car for your first bespoke EV?
“The GV60 has the advantage of complementing the range of vehicles without coming into direct competition. Otherwise, it would have made the equivalent ICE vehicle redundant in some markets.”
Why didn’t Genesis launch in Europe as an all-EV brand?
“It’s a matter of timing. We never defined Genesis as an electric vehicle company. Obviously, we’re going through an electrification phase and we will be fully electric, but to wait for a full line-up of electric vehicles would have postponed our entrance into the European market until 2026, 2027 or 2028.”
