Late last month, Genesis unveiled the X Concept, an EV-based GT (Gran Turismo) concept car. To mark the occasion of the concept car’s debut on a private rooftop in Los Angeles, the high-end Hyundai Motor Group brand partnered with award-winning director, Jason Bergh, in the creation of a film.

The concept car “embodies the essential elements that Genesis pursues in its designs” and represents “the future of Genesis design,” said Jay Chang, Global Head of the Genesis Brand.

The brand’s fifth concept car—following the New York, GV80, Essentia, and Mint, the X Concept represents its new take on sustainable luxury car design. The high-performance GT maximizes the use of the Two Lines design element for which the brand has become known. The theme is applied throughout the interior, exterior, and electric charging devices.

“The signature Two Lines theme and sustainable luxury will be blueprints for the futuristic designs and state-of-the-art technologies that Genesis seeks to adopt in its future models,” said SangYup Lee, Head of Genesis’ Global Design.

Design highlights are the Two Lines used for headlamps that cut through the wheel arch and then re-appear for the taillights. The low and broad overall shape features a long hood and a short rear deck of traditional coupes, an arching parabolic line running along the side, and the fenders have flaring “maximized volumes.” The Two Lines design theme is continued in the digital side mirrors and the side window molding.

Other design elements are the “double-layered” bumpers, a three-dimensional G-Matrix metal Crest Grille internally painted body color, and a clamshell hood that presents one clean, uninterrupted surface. Of particular efficiency interest is the bottom front air vent intake mesh that not only helps cool but also facilitates airflow to help extend range. The slide-to-open charging door features no parting lines, and the Two Lines design element is emphasized around the charging port.

The X Concept’s interior features a cockpit that surrounds the driver with all operating systems and displays, a floating console, in a scotch brown color—surrounded by the rest of the interior in an ocean wave green-blue. The Two Lines design element is applied to the slim, indirect air vents that surround passengers as well as with the side window molding.

A Free-Form display manages cluster, navigation, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, and the Crystal Sphere Electronic Shift Lever integrates driving mode settings. The bucket seats have four-point seat belts and exposed metal frames.

Sustainable luxury inside includes the use of upcycled materials. A weave-patterned “fabric” made of leftover pieces of leather from previous manufacturing processes is used for the safety belts, parts of the steering wheel, and airbag cover.

Technical details on the concept were very limited beyond that it was designed for wireless and wired charging and an 800-V electric system. However, parent Hyundai Motor Group mentioned in its “Strategy 2025” update in December that plans for the Genesis luxury brand included a dedicated BEV model and a derived EV model in 2021.

Electrification has figured heavily in the last three Genesis concept cars including the 2019 Mint and 2018 Essentia.

The Mint Concept, shown ahead of the 2019 New York International Auto Show, was designed as an all-electric luxury car for the city featuring an innovative interior user experience. The two-door, two-passenger city car had a three-box design stretched to the corners with extremely short front and rear overhangs. Its oblong steering wheel was surrounded by six Graphic User Interface information screens and housed a seventh screen mounted flush in the steering wheel to display primary vehicle information. It featured a high-density, battery-electric powertrain capable of an estimated 200-mi (320-km) range and 350-kW fast recharging.

The Essentia Concept from the 2018 New York International Auto Show was the brand’s first battery-electric vehicle and featured a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque. Its “high-density” battery pack and multiple electric motors were good for 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration in 3 s. The battery pack was housed in the center tunnel in an I-shape structure, as opposed to underneath the passenger compartment. The electric powertrain allowed designers to create an extremely low 50-in (1270-mm) profile with a transparent hood that flowed into the windshield and “bubble” roof above a spacious, GT-style cabin.

With electrification, the new Genesis configurations could take on many shapes.