Genesis wows New York Auto Show with futuristic fuel cell SUV

Genesis makes a bold move against Tesla with talk of a future electric car.

At the New York Auto Show, the luxury brand that Hyundai spun offunveiled its first SUV concept, which happens to be powered by fuel cells.

And it's spectacular to look at – when the cover came off the smooth, futuristic concept Wednesday afternoon, April 12, gasps were audible from the crowd of international journalists and car executives.

The GV80 Concept runs on hydrogen fuel-cell electric technology via a plug-in system under the hood, the brand says.

Genesis has declined to give specifics on how fast or far it would be able to drive – hypothetically, of course – but Genesis chief Manfred Fitzgerald said it indicates the "athletic" design direction the brand will take with future production vehicles.

Most notable – on what is admittedly a shell concept not close to production – are the diamond-style mesh grille and wide-set horizontal quad headlamps along the front, plus 23-inch mesh alloy wheels and thin laser fiber-optic quad lamps in the rear.

Electronic door handles sit flush along the side of the car, and there's a curved, 22-inch OLED infinity display inside, set against an ash wood center console and polished metal inlays.

The press conference offered little insight into much more about the vehicle – the range, horsepower, speeds, and battery life remained unspecified.

But if it does come to market, expect it to go up directly against the likes of Tesla's electric Model X SUV.

And if the resulting production vehicle is as good as the existing Genesis sedans, we are in for a treat. Tesla better watch out.