2021.11.08 GENESIS
GV60, The Standard of Luxury EV: The Details Revealed
The GV60 is very different from current luxury or electric vehicles in many ways. In particular, the uniqueness of interior design, color, and material stand out. Here, the designers who created the GV60 explain the details.
Genesis' first dedicated electric car, the GV60, is special in many ways. It was manufactured based on E-GMP, a platform dedicated to electric vehicles, and boasts a different performance and configuration from internal combustion engines. Among them, the most striking difference of the GV60 is the design. GV60 could The necessary parts that have been required for ICEs are no longer needed.
GV60 not only has a unique exterior design but also has a special interior design. This is thanks to the unique personality of the GV60 based on ‘Beauty of White Space’, Genesis’ unique interior design philosophy. In addition, detailed design elements are added to the spacious interior to provide passengers with a special experience, and the colors and materials of the GV60 make the interior and exterior interiors stand out even more. This conveys a special feeling for the passengers.
So, how was the unique design of the GV60 perfected? Senior Researcher Pil-Yoon Kim, Researcher Jae-min Park, Researcher Yeon-Ji Kang of Genesis Design Department, and Researcher Man-Young Han of Genesis CMF Team explain the interior design, color, and materials of the GV60.
The interior design of the GV60 reconstructed the beauty of white space using a floating architecture
Q. How did you create ‘the beauty of white space’, the interior design philosophy of Genesis using the GV60. Also, what is the theme of the interior design of the GV60?
Senior Researcher Pil-Yoon Kim | The core of the GV60's interior design is the 'floating architecture', in which the drive controllers are placed separately, while the rest are positioned as if they are floating in the air; The beauty of white space is realized by providing a wider sense of space to passengers by composing a slim dashboard and center console with a floating architecture. In addition, the GV60 takes care of the driver by using a luxurious space based on ‘Warm Digital’. Accordingly, like the Crystal Sphere, high-tech luxury was realized by paying great attention to the detailed design of the operating system. As such, the interior design of the GV60 combines high technology with an iconic design; hence creating a high-performance emotional EV that not only communicates with the driver but also has its own characteristics.
Q. Could you explain the design background of the ‘Crystal Sphere’, the most prominent sphere-shaped electronic transmission in the GV60 interior?
Researcher Yeon-Ji Kang | Crystal Sphere started with the idea to satisfy both utility and aesthetics for the safety of electric vehicle drivers. In general, when the driver starts the internal combustion engine, the engine starting sound gives the driver an obvious alarm. However, since the EV makes no sound, it is difficult for the driver to know whether the engine has started, and careless operation of the transmission at this time can lead to sudden unintended acceleration.
Problems that may arise with current EVs can be solved by Crystal Sphere; This is a beautifully crafted object and warmly welcomes the driver in the GV60. The driver can have a special experience from the moment he enters the cabin of the GV60. When the driver starts the GV60, the Crystal Sphere functions as an electronic shift dial and visually and functionally informs whether the engine is running or not. The driver cannot be careless since the transmission dial would not appear until the engine is started, which vastly increases safety. The Crystal Sphere turns very dramatic and emotionally, but it is also very special in that it cares about the safety of the driver.
Q. Besides the Crystal Sphere, there seem to be many design elements that passengers can enjoy.
Researcher Jae-Min Park | Many controller designs, as well as the Crystal Sphere, are spherical. The side mirror control switch located at the front of the driver's side door handle is also shaped like a sphere, and the vehicle diffuser at the passenger side door handle is also shaped like a sphere. These two parts are not only designed in the shape of a sphere but also perfected with Genesis' unique G-matrix pattern. In the case of the diffuser, the luxurious sensibility of Genesis can be felt not only visually but also through the sense of smell. Passengers can have a more special experience because they can feel the unique scent of Genesis through their sense of smell.
Q. How was the floating architecture, another characteristic of the GV60 interior design, completed?
Senior Researcher Pil-Yoon Kim | Compared to internal combustion engines or internal combustion-based electric vehicles, the main difference of the GV60 is the flat floor. In current passenger cars, it was impossible to separate the dashboard, center fascia, and interior floor due to structural characteristics, but in the GV60, which uses an EV-dedicated platform, such restrictions have disappeared. This allowed this model to have a flat floor, and the part of the cabin could be separated from the floor - so that it could show the bold, 'floating' cabin.
A floating center console design would be a good example. The controller at the top and the storage at the bottom are clearly separated to further emphasize the flat floor, which helps passengers feel a comfortable image and a sense of spaciousness. In the case of the floating center console lower storage space, long items such as umbrellas can be stored comfortably. The GV60's floating architecture is also found on the dashboard and door armrests. The floating architecture, which distinguishes it from other areas of the cabin, is visually refreshing and expands the sense of space in the interior.
Q. The interior of the GV60 seems to be more spacious thanks to the exclusive platform and unique design method. Could you elaborate further?
Researcher Jae-Min Park | Because the cabin is actually spacious, there are more ways to maximize space utilization. A good example is the Relaxation Comfort seat applied to the driver's and front passenger's seats. By pressing the Relaxation Comfort seat button located on the side of the front seat, passengers can feel comfortable sitting as if they were in a state of zero gravity. The experience of sitting on the Relaxation Comfort seat and looking at the sky through the Vision Roof will increase the value of the GV60. Thanks to the flat floor, the space in the rear seats is increased, and the design of the front seats is unified, making it appear more spacious. We also paid attention to the design details - like the cup holders placed on the door armrests. By maintaining the shape of the sphere here, it became a prominent design point in the rear seat space, while enhancing the convenience of passengers.
Q. Although it is an eco-friendly electric vehicle, design elements such as the ‘Drive Mode’ and ‘Boost Mode’ buttons applied to the steering wheel seem to stimulate driving fun; what would be the reason?
Researcher Yeon-Ji Kang | Genesis' first dedicated electric vehicle, the GV60, has a very intuitive and simple control system design. Through this, it maximizes the image of a high-performance electric vehicle while capturing the luxurious sensibility like other Genesis models; Like the drive mode and boost mode buttons on the steering wheel. The elements essential for driving were designed in a sphere-shaped three-dimensional form to maintain aesthetics while being unified with other parts. In addition, the buttons are easy for the driver to operate, making it possible to feel sporty while driving. In particular, for the boost button applied only to the high-performance trim, the lime color symbolizing the high performance of the GV60 was used in collaboration with the CMF team to differentiate it from other trims.
GV60's differentiated colors and materials aim for a new luxury brand
Q. What is the theme of the exterior color design of the GV60, which attracts with its unique color? In addition, what would be the overall characteristics of the GV60 exterior color?
Researcher Man-Young Han | As the GV60 is Genesis' first dedicated electric vehicle, the Genesis brand's electric vehicle CMF strategy is reflected. Blue, the primary color used by many European and North American competitors, is futuristic but has a stronger product design image than automobiles. Conversely, the green series used by some Japanese competitors has an outdated image. So, considering vivid blue and green colors are traditional among the EVs, Genesis utilized the main color options between emerald and mint.
Q. Among the 11 types of exterior colors of the GV60, what is the main color?
Researcher Man-Young Han | Among the 11 exterior colors, the main colors are Hanauma Mint, Atacama Copper (glossy/matte), and Sao Paulo Lime, new colors introduced through the GV60; They house the CMF strategy for Genesis electric vehicles. Among them, Hanauma Mint color contains the unique beauty of Hanauma Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii. Hanauma Bay is famous for when too many tourists damage nature, it closes the beach and waits long for it to restore itself to its original state. This characteristic of Hanauma Bay is suitable to be the main color of the eco-friendly EV GV60.
Another main color is Atacama Copper. Genesis has been using black & copper for brand communication, but there was no history of applying copper color to mass-produced cars. However, as we move into the new electric vehicle era, it is necessary to actively emphasize the copper identity of Genesis. In particular, in the case of the Atacama copper matte color, the metallic feel is greatly improved compared to the existing matte color, and the feel of the material of copper (copper) is realized as much as possible. The name Atacama comes from the Atacama region of Chile, where copper, which is a key material for electric vehicles and electric wires, is deposited in large quantities.
Sao Paulo Lime is a high-performance trim color developed to express a more active and extreme image, breaking away from the black & red combination sport color that gives off the competitive and serious image of the existing internal combustion engines. The reason this model uses the lime color is that rather than the image of Gran Turismo Racing competing on a circuit made of black asphalt and red lines, the image of riding a neon-colored surfboard happily in the blue sea, and the image of a high-performance electric vehicle and Because that's right.
Q. There are a lot of colors inside the GV60. What options do customers have, and how were these colors developed?
Researcher Man-Young Han | There are a total of five combinations of GV60's interior colors: Obsidian Black Monotone, Ash Gray/Glacier White Dual Tone, Monstera Green/Camel Beige Dual Tone, Monstera Green/Glacier White Dual Tone, and Torrent Navy Monotone. And there is more; There are 12 combinations in total, including Signature Design Selection I, Signature Design Selection II, and Performance Design Selection (Torrent Navy only).
First of all, a high-brightness interior color of the Glacier White series was developed to realize the eco-friendly and clean image unique to electric vehicles. Although bright colors are vulnerable to contamination, high-brightness white colors were developed boldly because white colors can give a luxurious feeling. It was thanks to the development of special antifouling treatment (coating, paint, and surface) in other departments.
Monstera Green, like the Hanauma Mint on the exterior, is a color selected according to the EV color strategy among colors between mint and emerald. In combination with other interior colors and elements such as glacier white or camel beige, it creates an eco-friendly image as well as a futuristic and newtro atmosphere. Lastly, the torrent navy color is an exclusive color developed to match lime, the main color of the high-performance trim. It was developed so that drivers can enjoy the sporty performance of the GV60 by creating a more lively atmosphere than black.
Q. When designing interior colors and materials, which did you consider more important, the luxury of Genesis or the eco-friendliness of electric vehicles?
Researcher Man-Young Han | First, the GV60 pursues a new philosophy of ‘Responsible Luxury’. According to this strategy, the GV60 uses as many eco-friendly materials as possible. It is part of responsible behavior towards society and the environment. For example, eco-friendly materials extracted from vegetable or recycled raw materials are used throughout all trims to realize luxury.
For reference, eco-friendly leather is made by mixing bio-extracts from grains such as corn, and then combining them with artificial leather made of polyurethane. Since the texture is as soft and luxurious as genuine leather, it has been applied to seats, armrests, lower dashboard, and upper doors. Recycled yarns extracted from waste nets and PET bottles are utilized in the production of woven fabrics, suede, and tricot materials; This material is used for headlining, pillars, door center trims, and seat bolster. In the process of producing eco-friendly materials, luxury was prioritized so that they do not feel different from existing materials.
Q. The materials used in the cabin of the GV60 seem to stimulate emotions; Are there any special materials among these?
Researcher Man-Young Han | The retro-reflective material, introduced for the first time through the GV60, reflects the light coming from the direction of the observer. Thanks to this, it is possible to create a luminous effect using only an external light source without energy consumption; Recently, skateboarders' streetwear and sneakers have housed this element, and luxury brands are also using it.
Retroreflective material was used in the seat piping of Design Selection I, and in Design Selection II and above, this material was used not only for the seat piping but also for the door center trim. By using retroreflective material, it is possible to produce a futuristic image like the movie without consuming a lot of energy. In addition, the material informs the user of a seating position in a dark cabin or informs the car behind it when the door is suddenly opened; hence highlighting its utility.
Q. There are unique patterns on the dashboard and floating center console. What was your intention in designing this part?
Researcher Man-Young Han | In line with the concept of the GV60, which is responsible for the most active image in the Genesis lineup, a sporty and future-oriented sensibility unique to electric vehicles was designed. First, the inserted film that Stand Design trim is utilizing represents a plaid as seen in things like motorsport flags. At the same time, it was designed to reveal a slightly dark and warm feeling, revealing a luxurious and sense of high-performance.
The digital dot pattern aluminum interior material of Signature Design Selection I is a design that expresses the future-oriented and digital feel of electric vehicles with dots of 0 and 1, which are digital signals. The interior design that actively uses a circle and details such as seat punching create a state-of-the-art image with a sense of unity. The hexagonal pattern aluminum interior material of Signature Design Selection II was developed as an extension of the Genesis exterior grille and G-matrix pattern. It is expressed in a soft green color so that it can be used together with the main interior color, Monstera Green. The arrow pattern aluminum material that only the Performance Design features goes well with navy/lime interior color. This GV60 top trim is matched with luxurious and sporty interior color.
As mentioned above, several design techniques were used in the interior, color, and material of the GV60 to express the characteristics of a next-generation eco-friendly luxury electric vehicle. All these elements have never been used before, highlighting the uniqueness of the GV60 and giving passengers a unique experience. As such, the GV60 is setting a new standard for luxury electric vehicles in various areas from performance and efficiency to design, color, and materials.
Photograph by Min-Seok Choi
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