We'll be spending the next few weeks behind the wheel of the 2024 Genesis GV60, and we’ll need all of that time to analyze this newish all-electric pocket SUV from the Korean brand. Here's the fourth part of our long-term review.
See also: 2024 Genesis GV60 Long-Term Review, Part 1: Tasty Treat Wrapped in Candy Shell
See also: 2024 Genesis GV60 Long-Term Review, Part 2: An Electric Road Trip Through Maine
See also: 2024 Genesis GV60 Long-Term Review, Part 3: Backcountry Frustrations
After exploring that part of Maine that isn't Old Orchard, it was time to head home. Still trying to plan where to recharge the Genesis GV60 along the way, and with a plan to stop and say hello to the master of horror...
After recharging (our 5th “fill up” of the trip) at Hannaford supermarket, we made our way safely to Penobscot (named after an aboriginal nation) where awaited our AirBnb, a garage converted into a doll's house by our hosts Kim and Tom opposite a postcard-perfect inlet.
The next day, the GV60 boasted a low fuel consumption of 16.6 kWh/100 km after 65 km of winding roads, at which point we pulled into Bar Harbor.
Where's the treasure?
This coastal town has a rich history, which can be explored by following a historical route dotted with houses where celebrities once lived. But the many day-trippers from cruise ships are drawn to the stores and bars that abound in the heart of a neighborhood that looks like the ultimate tourist attraction.
For our part, with a remaining range of 255 km (58 percent), we figured Bar Harbor would be the ideal place to recharge while we hoofed it on foot around this seaside Disneyland on foot. Our naiveté was touching...
To begin with, the Genesis failed to spot any Level 3 public charging stations. Incredulous, I checked the ChargeHub website, which confirmed the bad news. On the other hand, it listed 33 Level 2 stations, and the EV told us that we were just a stone's throw from one of them. Not only was it free, it stood in the shade of some nice big trees. I backed up, plugged in the car, and …
Out of order.
We spent the next 45 minutes looking for an operational terminal. My girlfriend said it felt like a treasure hunt. The weather was fine, it was the right attitude to adopt, but in the end, the treasure eluded us: four different stops and all of them “out of order”.
Feeling a little frustrated, we parked (paying everywhere) and melted into the lava of tourists.
In front of the Visitor Centre, I couldn't help myself and told the man behind the counter about our misfortune. He was very sorry. He pulled out a crumpled, scribbled sheet - the "official list" of charging stations, listed by who knows who at City Hall. I recognized the ones that had been kaput. He promised to refer the matter to his superiors.
After the failure in Bar Harbor, I gave it a try on the way back to the famed Acadia Park. No stations there either. It just wasn't making sense. This part of Maine obviously didn't get the memo about the growing popularity of EVs. Finally, I settled on a car dealership in Ellsworth, belonging to the Darling Group. It houses a GMC banner on one side and a Ram franchise on the other. An unlikely pairing for us.
But though I arrived in a Genesis, the folks in the Service department had no objection to my using their 9.0-kW Level 2 terminal. We returned to the Sea Pearl with 180 km of range (41-percent charge).
Better luck at the hotels
With our host Kim, who promised to recount our misadventure at the next Chamber of Commerce meeting, we indulge in an experiment the poor results of which I could already anticipate. That’s right, we plugged the car into an extension cord that delivers 0.6 kWh. It would take 62 hours to reach 100 percent, the GV60 told me.
The next day was one of rest. First of all because we deserved it. Second of all, we were thinking about our remaining range. So we enjoyed the hammock, played Scrabble and worked on convincing ourselves that tomorrow, on our way back to Quebec, the city of Bangor wouldn’t disappoint us on the DC charging station front.
After 18 hours of Level 1 treatment with that extension cord, the 41 percent had grown to 49 (219 km). Enough to attempt a dash to Castine, where we were planning a birthday dinner for my girlfriend.
It would be nice to recharge while were eating. But of course, no zero DC loomed on the horizon, near or far. The Castine Inn, on the other hand, had a Level 2 terminal. At reception, I was told "With pleasure, sir. That will be $10 USD please."
Charging on the station’s 7.4 kW charger, I'd need 7 hours for a full recharge. Within two hours, the GV60 had gone from 198 km (44 percent) to 278 km (61 percent). Time to head for Penobscot and our accommodations for the night.
From King to the Beauce
In the morning, we bade farewell to Kim and Tom with a range showing 269 km (59 percent). We headed for Bangor. Now, even if our route hadn't taken us through there, I would have made the detour. Because Bangor, 52 km from the AirBnb, is home to Stephen King.
Actually, the author doesn't really live there anymore, but the huge house houses his archives. Given that he penned some 65 novels and over 200 short stories, it's hardly surprising to see the size of the mansion. The gate alone is worth a visit. Bats, giant spiders and gargoyles swarm on it. Last summer, a young deer had the bad idea of jumping over the portcullis. It was impaled.
Now it was time to – you guessed it - think about refueling the GV60. Again. After all, the St-Théophile border crossing in the Beauce region was 235 km away. According to the GV60, an Irving service station in Bangor had two DC terminals.
The first was already occupied by a Kia EV9, while a Mustang Mach-E was a few seconds ahead of us and took the second. It happens. Fortunately, the Mach-E didn’t linger. However, these two terminals divide up the 62.5-kWh of power. It would take 58 minutes to reach 80 percent. We plugged in anyway. An Ioniq 5 and a Kona EV followed in single file.
Whenever EV drivers gather around a charging station, conversation ensues. My girlfriend says it's because I'm a nosy granny. I retort that my curiosity is a credit to my profession as a journalist. Anyways, the discussions revolved around the usual topics: destination, range, EV station facilities and inconveniences. I couldn't stop talking about Bar Harbor.
The couple in the Kona checked their phones for another DC terminal. They found one in a Nissan dealership, which the GV60 had spotted as well. Wisely, they called ahead: Does your terminal work, and is our Hyundai welcome there? Reassured, they set off to try their luck.
I had 235 km of range showing, exactly the distance we sat from the border. We followed US-201 North to another Irving station, this time in Newport, crossing our fingers for a really fast DC. I arrived with a range of 190 km (45%).
Alas, here were two more stations sharing their capacities. The free one wasn't working (!), the other occupied by an Audi Q4 e-tron. The charming couple who’d been using it for a week quickly give up their place and insisted on offering us Rice Krispies squares. Who could refuse?
When I stopped charging, we had 393 km (90 percent). By the time we hit the border, we were at 171 km (43 percent) remaining. I had lost 222 km of displayed range driving 173 km in 2h14m, at a rate of 21.5 kWh/100 km.
Land of EVs
No sooner had customs been cleared than our trusty GV60 announced an Electric Circuit rapid charging station in the village of St-Théophile, next to the town hall. I placed my membership card on the reader and started charging straight away. It's great to be back on a well-functioning network!
I like the fact that the power ratings of the Circuit's charging stations are clearly identified with a sign. In Maine, I had to glue my nose to the terminal screen to find out its capacity.
I now sat at 392 km of range displayed (91 percent), with 147 km to go before arriving at a friend's house in Charlesbourg to spend the night. Once there, the GV60 now showed 223 km (55%).
The next day, another stop at another friend’s place, this time in Lévis. After saying hello, another charge at an Electric Circuit terminal in a parking lot of a St-Hubert restaurant. Then it was back home on Highway 20, which meant an almost obligatory stop at the famed Madrid de St-Léonard-d'Aston, as much to stretch the legs as to check out the dinosaurs and recharge the GV60 one last time.
On the 20, once the road was clear enough, I played with the bright yellow Boost button, located on the steering wheel and exclusive to the Performance model. Push it and the GV60's output jumps to 483 hp for exactly 10 seconds. Press the right pedal at the same time and the force of acceleration literally slams you into your seat, to the point of achieving 0-100 km in less than 4 seconds.
Doing the math
Our seven-day EV road trip was over. Having covered 1903 km, it was time to take stock:
- A total of 12 recharges, excluding the essentially useless Level 1 recharges;
- Some 460 minutes to recharge, or 7.6 hours. That said, almost 5 hours were also spent eating or shopping;
- These 1,903 km cost $210 CAD to recharge, at an average price of $1.70/litre of regular gasoline in Quebec = 123 litres. Let's take a vehicle comparable to the Genesis GV60, but with a combustion engine. Let's say the Lexus RX 350h. As its fuel consumption is around 7L/100 km, these 123 litres would have enabled me to cover 1,700 km. With an ICE vehicle without hybridization and fueled by premium gasoline, the bill would increase... although the price of gas in Maine ($3.40 a gallon usually) would have mitigated it.
My girlfriend said, "I'll buy an EV the day there are as many charging stations as there are dandelions in the spring." The experience would undoubtedly have been less painful if we'd only been on major highways lined with rest stops featuring DC and, more importantly, functional charging stations. Otherwise, for the time being, deep Maine in an EV is no easy task!
Throughout this odyssey, the Genesis GV60 had been a reliable partner. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and Kia's EV6, all three very close cousins, offer roughly the same performance (576 hp for the Kia EV6 GT) and many similar amenities, but the GV60 wraps them in exclusive luxury and prestige, first and foremost, but also comes with after-sales service that has few equals in the industry. Genesis dealers go to great lengths to eliminate the inevitable worries that plague the daily life of a motorist.
The Genesis GV60 Advance sells for $72,500 and the Performance for $80,500, plus tax. These no-negotiation prices (and no eligible government subsidies) include all costs and maintenance expenses for the first five years.
I'm going to miss the "crystal sphere", that pretty glowing globe that pivots on itself at start-up to become the transmission selector. I know, I'm a baby, my girlfriend keeps telling me. But then, so are the designers of the Genesis GV60, so I'm in brilliant company.
