Genesis launches in France, Netherlands with 3 EVs in 2026

Genesis arrives in France and the Netherlands in spring 2026 with three all-electric models: the GV60, the Electrified GV70, and the Electrified G80. The Korean brand, Hyundai's premium subsidiary, is accelerating its European expansion while preparing an in-house platform for 2027 — a strong signal of its ambition to shed the 'luxury Hyundai' label.

"We have long shared our platforms with Hyundai and Kia. By 2027, Genesis will ride on its own architecture." — Peter Kronschnabl, Director of Genesis Europe, as quoted by Autocar

France as the fifth European market

Genesis has chosen Paris and Lille to open its first two French boutiques this spring. Other sales points will follow throughout the year, with the goal of a service network covering the entire country by the end of 2028. The brand already has its European base in Frankfurt, from which it orchestrates an expansion that has already taken it to Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Italy.

Charles Fuster, Director of Genesis France, sums up the ambition: the brand does not merely intend to sell cars but to offer "a new premium experience" across the entire ownership period. The rhetoric is well-rehearsed. What is more interesting is what Genesis is not selling in France: no combustion models for now, unlike in Germany. A choice that reflects both French regulatory realities and the desire to position the brand as a resolutely electric player in this market.

Three models, three prices, an ultra-ambitious positioning

How much do Genesis models cost in Europe?

In the Netherlands, where the brand has also just landed, prices are public. The GV60 — Genesis's first all-electric vehicle, a compact SUV on the E-GMP platform with up to 560 km of range — starts at €49,990. That is the entry point. The Electrified GV70, a larger SUV with an 800-volt architecture and 479 km of range (but capable of recovering 100 km in 6 minutes of charging), is priced from €65,400. As for the Electrified G80, the luxury sedan that competes in the league of the BMW i7 and Mercedes EQS, it offers up to 570 km of range and positions Genesis in the most rarefied segment.

These prices sting — but that is precisely where Genesis is taking a calculated risk. Rivaling Audi, Mercedes, and BMW on pricing without their history or networks is a bet few brands have pulled off. Lexus managed it in two decades. Genesis is trying to shorten that timeline.

The question of the 'luxury Kia syndrome'

This is Genesis's structural problem since its launch, and no one in the automotive press really articulates it clearly: when a €65,000 car shares its platform, motors, and a good chunk of its electronics with a Hyundai sold for half the price, how do you justify the gap? Design and interior materials are not always enough.

According to our information, it is precisely this internal debate that accelerated the decision to invest in a proprietary platform. The upcoming GV90 will still use the eM platform — an evolved version of the E-GMP, thus still group architecture. But as early as 2027, Genesis plans to deploy its own architecture, distinct from both the E-GMP and the M3 used for current models. This platform will be compatible with electric and hybrid powertrains, suggesting that Genesis is not entirely abandoning alternative engines — even if technical details remain confidential for now.