Hyundai has announced a new compact electric SUV for India at its 2026 CEO Investor Day. Designed and manufactured in India, the EV is slated to debut here by March 2027. Jose Munoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, said, “A brand-new compact SUV is coming, designed and localised in India.”
- A ‘next-gen infotainment’ and Level 2 ADAS are confirmed features
- Will be built on the E-GMP (K) platform and manufactured in Tamil Nadu
- To compete with the Tata Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV 3XO EV
Upcoming Hyundai compact EV: All we know so far
It will be offered in standard-range and long-range versions
The upcoming EV, codenamed HE1i, was first announced at Hyundai’s Investor Day 2025. Later, we learnt it will be a born-electric vehicle built on the E-GMP (K) platform, which also underpins the Inster EV offered abroad. It will be manufactured at Hyundai’s Sriperumbudur facility in Tamil Nadu.
The HE1i EV will use localised Exide-sourced batteries and will be offered in two versions: standard range and long range, whose exact specifications are unknown. For context, the Euro-spec Inster is offered with a 42kWh battery with 300km WLTP-claimed range and a long-range 49kWh battery with 355km claimed range.
The new compact EV is confirmed to have a “next-generation infotainment system”, which could be the Pleos Connect infotainment system that is also expected on the upcoming third-generation Creta, and “Level 2 assisted driving technology”.
The upcoming Hyundai compact EV will be positioned as a rival to the Tata Nexon EV, Mahindra XUV 3XO EV and Kia Syros EV. Being an India-made product, it could have competitive price.
Hyundai expects electrified vehicles to account for 50 percent of India sales by 2030. Currently, it sells two EVs in the country: the Creta Electric and Ioniq 5, and the upcoming compact eSUV will give the carmaker a share in the more accessible segment of India’s EV market.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Glenn Noronha
Dhruv Dhaka
