The Genesis GV90 According to reports from the brand’s home base in South Korea, the launch of the flagship electric SUV has been delayed due to unspecified “technical challenges” and internal staff movements.
Accordingly The Korean AutoblogThe GV90 EV’s previous launch date of April 2026 has been pushed back further to sometime in the second half of 2026.
It’s reportedly not the first delay for the GV90 program, which was announced in the 2024 Genesis Neolun Concept as a three-row electric SUV meant to compete with the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Features of the Neolun Concept included Rolls-Royce style rear-hinged coach doors, which the Genesis brand aimed to set a new benchmark for large luxury SUVs, positioned above the GV70 and GV80 currently sold in Australia.
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According to a May 2023 report, production of the GV90 was scheduled to begin in November 2025.
However, the landscape has changed significantly since then: hybrid vehicles are on the rise and growth in electric vehicles (EVs) is no longer as pronounced as before – not ideal for automakers like Hyundai Motor Group (HMG), which have made huge investments in electric vehicles.
The latest delay compared to the GV90 The Korean Autoblogis due to technical challenges associated with equipping the vehicle with Level 3 autonomous driving technology.
Autonomous driving capability is divided into five different levels, with Level 0 describing a normal human-driven vehicle, while Level 5 is the highest level and applies to vehicles that can drive completely independently.
For comparison, the Tesla Model Y is considered a Level 2 autonomous vehicle even if it uses Full Self-Driving (FSD), which was activated in Australia and New Zealand in September 2025.
Mercedes-Benz currently offers a Level 3 autonomous system called Drive Pilot for its electric flagship EQS in some markets. It’s essentially a hands-off system, although this functionality is only available on certain roads and in certain scenarios.
The GV90, The Korean Autoblog In addition, testing revealed unusual “trap doors” that suggest it is equipped with various LiDAR sensors and other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) required for Level 3 functionality.
The changes also appear to have resulted in the Rolls-Royce style carriage doors being eliminated and conventional doors being used instead.
Beyond the engineering program, personnel changes at HMG and Genesis itself have also contributed to the GV90 being held back and potential new strategies and tactics now being implemented.
In December, Sean (Sihyeok) Lee, a 25-year HMG veteran, was named global head of Genesis with experience in the key North American market.
“Lee will lead Genesis through a transformative phase of new model introductions, including the long-awaited flagship SUV, the first Genesis hybrid and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) models, as well as the continued expansion of the Genesis Magma high-performance lineup,” the company said in a statement.
This followed the appointment of Jose Muñoz, who took over as president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) in January 2025 – the first outside South Korea.
Changes at parent company HMG from January 1, 2026 resulted in Eunsook Jin taking the position of president and leading the software and IT programs, while Seokmoon Ryo was named CEO of its software subsidiary Hyundai AutoEver.
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