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One of the most mysterious features of the upcoming Genesis GV60 all-electric crossover is its Crystal Sphere. The Crystal Sphere looks cool, but what does it do? Genesis says it “communicates and interacts with passengers and it symbolizes the luxury of the automaker,” and adds “emotional charm.”

The GV60 will be one of the most anticipated electric vehicles of the company’s 2025 line up to come to the U.S.

It looks cool

Genesis GV60 Crystal Sphere | Genesis

The company is making a big deal out of the interface that controls many of the crossover’s functions. It’s the gear selector and a mood lighting disco ball in the console. When you open the door, you’ll be greeted with mood lighting from the console.

What it really is, however, is a creative way to let you know the GV60 is powered up and ready to go. The GV60 is electric, after all, and that means that the there’s no feeling or sound of a combustion motor humming away to let you know it’s ready. Instead, the Crystal Sphere rotates to reveal a shift know that lets you put the GV60 in drive, reverse and park. We’ll get to finding neutral later.

Many EVs count on flashing lights or displays to tell the driver it is ready and the Crystal Sphere is a creative, tactile, way of letting you know when you can put it in D. When you put it in R, however, the crystal will vibrate.

We have a new video that shows us how to use it

Genesis knows the Crystal Sphere will take some explaining for those that haven’t seen one IRL. It’s produced a video that shows how to use it, what to do if the crystal doesn’t want to turn, and crucially how to put the crossover in neutral. Neutral is useful if you need to push the GV60, or for those times when you need to enter an automatic car wash. Genesis

On your regular car, all you need to do to find neutral is move the selector to N. But it’s a multi-step process to get into neutral in the GV60:

  1. Press start twice
  2. Enter IG On mode
  3. Remove the cap on the right upper side of the sphere and press the button
  4. Neutral will be engaged and the dial will appear
  5. Then, press P to return to park mode

The Sphere will be part of the new GV60 crossover

The 2022 Genesis GV60 will be the company's first all-electric crossover. It's expected to come to the U.S. as a 2025 model.
Genesis GV60 | Genesis

The Genesis brand has been winning award after award for its GV80 SUV, and it recently launched its new GV70 SUV. The GV60 will be the company’s first electric crossover. There’s no exact release date for the GV60 yet. Genesis has simply said it will appear sometime in the spring of 2022. It was previewed in late 2021.

The GV60 will be underpinned by Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, the same that powers the Kia EV6 and the upcoming GV9. Vehicles built on the platform can be configured as real-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive, or performance all-wheel drive. The GV60, however, will come with a Boost Mode to immediately boost its performance and the car can accelerate to 62 mph, or 100 kph, in 4 seconds, while offering adequate range.

The interior will be suitably modern

The interior of the GV60 features upholstery made from recycled plastivs.
Genesis GV60 Interior | Genesis

While the company hasn’t said much about the performance of the GV60, it’s expected to be quick. Genesis has released information about its various design elements. The crossover is defined by a similar award-winning minimalist design language to its corporate cousin Kia. But, the GV60 will have suitable luxury options the Kia variant will not have. It’s upholstery is made from recycled plastic bottles and fishnets.

The GV60 will have a clamshell hood which will feature a frunk, or front trunk. It will have digital side mirrors and electric door handles. U.S. specs have not been released, but in South Korea it is available in 11 colors. The interior is available in five colors.  

Related: Genesis Teases Its All-New Electric Lineup Coming in 2025

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.