New entry-level car for Europe, based on the Mint concept, is under consideration
FELIX PAGE
Genesis is evaluating launching a small, Europe-focused luxury electric car, potentially beating Tesla’s mooted entry-level model to market.
The car would take inspiration from the Mint concept of 2019, which received positive feedback but hasn’t yet yielded a production model. It was revealed at the New York motor show, before Genesis had launched in Europe. A production model would be likely to have a European focus, given the car’s compact dimensions.
Mark Choi, head of product planning for Genesis, said: “We are looking at expanding our model line-up, and especially in Europe a smaller model is being considered.
“But it is not a simple case of adding new models. We need to factor in the growth of sales anticipated for our current cars, weigh that against our manufacturing capacity, and then consider the rising cost of raw materials and understand how that affects the decision.”
Choi hinted that the last of those factors could delay the launch of the small EV, which would sit below the Genesis GV60 in the firm’s line-up. As such, it would be the entry-level model, although it would carry a price in line with its luxury billing. “Raw material prices for batteries is key at the moment,” said Choi. “W
