SEOUL, South Korea, August 21, 2019 – Today, the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) awarded the Genesis Essentia Concept with a Gold International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) for Automotive and Transportation. This is the brand’s first “best of the best” award win for Genesis Vehicle Design.

Considered one of the world’s top three design awards including IDEA, RedDot and iF, IDEA has recognized North America’s top design award since 1980. This specific award evaluates and ultimately selects the best in design, by comprehensively evaluating various screening criteria such as design innovation, user benefits, and social responsibility. In 2018, Genesis Retail Design and Genesis Sound Design were recognized for “best of the best” award by Red Dot.

“We are extremely proud to be recognized by IDSA with the Essentia Concept which shows the Genesis brand’s vision and future,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Executive Vice President and Chief Design Officer. “For a new brand, each design element becomes part of the legacy for the brand, so our goal is to design a car as well as connect it with Genesis DNA.”

The Essentia Concept, which was first unveiled at the New York International Auto Show in March 2018, is the Genesis brand’s first electric Gran Turismo (GT) concept car. It was recognized for its interpretation of the “Athletic Elegance” design paradigm, while providing a vision of future Genesis product performance and technology.

The battery-electric Essentia Concept featured a luxurious look with a simple, clear and sleek exterior design and a custom-tailored interior. The interior design was focused on maximizing the connection between the driver and the car, and the overall decoration was reduced to combine restraint and futuristic impressions.

“We aim to show Genesis brand DNA through designing to reshape the landscape of the existing luxury car design,” said Sang Yup Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of the Global Genesis Design Center. “This is the foundation of our design philosophy, ‘Athletic Elegance.’”