Hyundai has released images and details of the new Inster EV, their entry-level electric vehicle for global markets. Resembling the popular Casper sub-compact city car, the Inster sits on a lengthened platform.
- Inster gets two EV powertrain options
- Gets a practical cabin with clever folding seats
- Gets 360 camera and adaptive cruise control
Hyundai Inster: a global entry level city EV
The new Inster will serve as Hyundai's contender in the mainstream city EV market. The SUV shares most of its underpinnings with the 3.5-metre-long Casper, which is sold exclusively with a petrol powerplant in Korea. Hyundai has extended the Casper's platform by 230mm for the Inster, of which 180mm is added to its wheelbase. This expansion provides more cabin room and additional space for the underfloor battery pack.
The Inster — 3.8-metre-long, 1.6-metre-wide and 1.6-mm-tall — is slightly shorter than the 3.9-metre-long Citroen eC3. It has a practical 5-seat cabin with versatile interior configurations, according to Hyundai. The four seats can be folded completely flat and the two rear seats can be slided and reclined to maximise legroom or boot space
Hyundai Inster: battery, powertrain, performance
The Inster gets two battery and motor configurations. Entry-level cars have a 96hp front-mounted drive unit that delivers a 0-100kph sprint time of 11.7 seconds and a top speed of 140kph. It’s paired with a 42kWh battery pack, which is claimed to deliver a range of around 300km between charges.
The higher-spec ‘long-range’ Inster is boosted to 113hp and 49kWh, extending its range to around 350km and top speed to 150kph, while reducing its 0-100kph time to 10.6 seconds. Both versions use the nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) chemistry and all Insters come with a heat pump and 85kW (DC) charging capabilities as standard.
Hyundai Inster: features and tech
While the specifications place the Inster roughly on par with its competitors, Hyundai believes it will stand out for its interior connectivity and onboard technologies. All variants have a pair of 10.25-inch displays (an instrument panel and an infotainment touchscreen) and can be unlocked and started using smartphone as a ‘key’.
The Inster also gets Hyundai’s complete suite of driver assistance technologies, including a 360-degree parking camera and adaptive cruise control. Additionally, it has a blindspot monitoring system that displays a camera image of the rear quarter view on the instrument panel when indicated.
Hyundai Inster: will it come to India?
Hyundai's current focus in India is on introducing the Creta EV, marking the brand’s entry into the mass-market EV segment. The Inster, with its decent features and technology, makes a good proposition for India as a potential competitor to the Citroen eC3 and Tata Punch EV. However, the launch of the Inster in India remains uncertain for now.
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