Think of a premium car and one would usually imagine a large rear-wheel drive sedan with plenty of grace, space and pace, but people tend to forget that upmarket small cars are lucrative business as well – as the success of BMW’s MINI and Mercedes-Benz’s compact car range proves. Now, Hyundai’s luxury offshoot Genesis is heading down that path with the Mint Concept, the company’s take on a high-end electric city car.
In pursuing a smaller form factor, Genesis has probably produced the most cohesive interpretation of its nascent design language yet, draped over a distinctive three-box profile and short overhangs. The signature quad-lamp graphic is mirrored at the front and back, stretching across the width of the car to form wraparound light bands, while the opening of the crest-shaped grille has been minimised in line with the reduced cooling requirements of the electric powertrain.
Along the side, the sweeping shoulder line follows the outline of the low-slung roof, before kicking up over the rear haunches towards the rear end. A “G-Matrix” pattern can be found in the design of the massive wheels and as vents along the flanks and around the rear to aid battery cooling and airflow. The pert, curvaceous styling is finished in a gorgeous shade of matte Hunter Green.
Inside, the reductive design continues with the expansive dashboard and floating bench seat, although the car is a strict two-seater. In front of the driver sits an oblong steering wheel with a large central display for primary vehicle information, surrounded by six smaller round displays showing other bits of critical data. An armrest folds out from the centre of the seat to reveal a control knob.
The “G-Matrix” graphic can again be found on the air vents, the pedals and the floors of the passenger and cargo compartments. Speaking of cargo, the Mint eschews a traditional tailgate for boot access in favour of a pair of outlandish rear scissor doors, and the entire interior is finished in cognac leather.
No concrete technical details have been revealed, but Genesis says that the Mint is capable of an estimated 320 km of range and can be charged via a 350 kW fast charging station.
