• Genesis is reportedly considering a new electric model based on the Mint concept.
• The model would likely be reserved for the European market.
• We know that Genesis plans to offer several new EV models in the next few years.
At the 2019 New York Auto Show, a very small concept made very big waves at the Genesis stand. The Mint concept charmed, seduced and otherwise wowed visitors and industry watchers… and it remained very much a concept. What we call a design study. Even company representatives acknowledged a future production version of the Mint Concept was probably more wishful thinking than realistic expectation.
That didn’t stop many from calling for just that, a production version.
But while demand was clearly strong, that in itself was not enough. Genesis had to see a financial logic to developing a production model. A commercially sold Mint had to be profitable. With a clearly niche product like this, that’s not guaranteed.
However, it’s also true that Genesis is planning to introduce a number of new EVs in the next few years. And, during the company’s periodic presentations that previewed shadowy contours of future models under wraps, there was always one that was smaller than all the others.
A model that could very well be an evolution of the Mint concept.
Now, a new report by Autocar points to movement on the Mint front. The outlet says Genesis is considering launching a small electric car for the European market, one based on the Mint concept.
Mark Choi, Genesis' head of product planning, confirmed that the South Korean firm is considering expanding its model lineup, and that a smaller format is being considered for Europe, among other markets.
But he also recognized that “it's 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 suggested as well that the rising cost of raw materials for batteries could delay the launch of such a vehicle that is set to fall below the GV60 in the lineup.
Genesis head of design SangYup Lee did say that “The Mint concept is still under consideration. We want to understand what a small luxury car could mean in our lineup. When you live in the city, you don't necessarily want a big vehicle, so a small model is something to think about. There are small, high-end cars, but a small luxury car could be something new.”
Of course, an eventual production version would probably be at least somewhat different from the concept shown four years ago, but if it's based on it, even if only in terms of size, it could be something interesting.
A North American launch is not impossible, and anyways and hope costs nothing. Genesis is a young company and it tends to study well what is feasible and logical for it. If the automaker feels such a product could find a niche here, they will not hesitate to offer it. Conversely, it could conclude the opposite.