Is The Genesis Mint Concept A Warning Shot To MINI?

The new Genesis Mint concept arrived in New York, posing as a luxury electric city car or as the company describes it “an accessory for the modern, urban lifestyle”.

The tiny two-door, two-seater city car bets heavily on its organic, three-box design and features a pair of scissor hatches instead of the traditional third door. That’s because the rear end hosts the charging port for the floor-mounted battery pack. It looks interesting to say the least.

The concept was created through a collaboration between the brand’s design studios in Germany, USA and South Korea. It’s finished in “Hunter Green” matte paint and features quad lamps both at the front and the rear that are stretched across the width of the body.

The interior is minimal and impressively airy, taking inspiration from European furniture design and the Korean tradition of embracing the empty space, according to Luc Donckerwolke, Executive Vice President and Chief Design Officer of the Hyundai Motor Group.

Everything is covered in cognac leather, with the steering wheel surrounded by no less than six displays and a seventh one sitting on its center, showing primary information to the driver. The rear compartment is easily accessible through those scissor openings, offering a low load-in point for easier access.

And while Genesis didn’t share any technical details about the electric powertrain that supposedly powers the Mint Concept, they did say that the driving range is up to 200 miles (321km) and that it is compatible with 350kW fast charging.

Is Genesis really going after Mini and its future electric models? Only time will tell.