There are plenty of big, heavy, expensive EVs out there if that’s what you fancy. However, it’s likely that smaller, cheaper EVs are what will really drive greater market penetration. Hyundai’s new subcompact is betting on just that, and we got a sneak peek today.
The new model will be called the Inster in some markets, including Australia. However, in Korea, it will be branded as the Hyundai Casper Electric, as it is an evolution of the company’s petrol-powered Casper SUV. Where Inster is a clumsy name that doesn’t really roll off the tongue, Casper is instantly catchy. Sadly, it’s likely trademark concerns make it complicated for the Korean automaker to use the name globally.
Despite its small size, Hyundai doesn’t expect you to give up practicality. It’s targeting a healthy 220-mile WLTP range for the Inster, which should be plenty for city trips and some beyond.
Hyundai has only given us a limited look at the Inster so far. The full reveal is slated for the Busan International Mobility Show in Korea later this month. Regardless, it’s clear the car hews closely to Hyundai’s established modern design language. The pixelated rear tail lights and front amber lights set the tone, while the round running lights evoke fond memories of the Honda e.
Pricing is yet to be announced, though early speculation has it landing around the €20,000- mark ($21,500 USD) in Europe. That would put it right in the mix with EVs like the Fiat 500e and similar product from Chinese automakers.
Based on the look of the thing, Hyundai could probably get away with calling this thing a hatchback if so desired. However, it’s officially denoted as a subcompact SUV, despite its apparently middling ground clearance. Crossovers have crossed over so far that they’re pretty much just cars again.
As an aside, Hyundai states that the “Casper” name is based on the freestyle skateboard trick developed in the 1970s by Bobby Boyden. However, the trick is named Casper after Boyden’s own nickname—he was likened to the cartoon character because of his pale complexion. Thus, Hyundai effectively did name the vehicle after the friendly ghost.
Comparing the existing Korean-market Casper with the shadowy shots that Hyundai released today, it’s clear the company got the design right from the get go. It has pleasant lines with a touch of retro feel, a design ethos that Rivian in particular has made waves with of late.
If this thing lands with good range and the right price tag, it could be a banger. Hyundai is already selling over 40,000 Caspers a year in Korea. The electric version could be a hit when it debuts worldwide. Perhaps the only sad thing is that we must suspect it’s not coming to America. We’ve contacted Hyundai for comment, but the automaker’s American media channels have thus far made no mention of the gorgeous three-door.
We’ve been saying it for years—the world needs more cheap, do-everything compact EVs. Now, it looks like Hyundai is about to deliver us a humdinger. Bring it on.
Image credits: Hyundai
They could qualify for the tax credit if they make it in their Montgomery factory. They have a ton of white sheets.
They could qualify for the tax credit if they make it in their Montgomery factory. They have a ton of white sheets.
Of course Hyundai will ghost the American market with this one.
But they’ll claim they sell vehicles with the same spirit…
Of course Hyundai will ghost the American market with this one.
But they’ll claim they sell vehicles with the same spirit…
Something that small needs to maximize its useable interior space. That rear rake is going to be the bane of everyone that owns one of these.
Something that small needs to maximize its useable interior space. That rear rake is going to be the bane of everyone that owns one of these.
I’ve been requesting a deep dive on the differences between WLTP and the EPA cycle for a while now. Putting it out there again.
I’ve been requesting a deep dive on the differences between WLTP and the EPA cycle for a while now. Putting it out there again.
$16k for a car that costs $5-6 (using NJ off-peak 11c/kwh) to recharge at home is pretty damned nice. Compared to how expensive everything else in life has become, this would be awesome.
Or if you’re well off, this is a great teenager’s first car. It just needs a way to inhibit long runs of acceleration. But a little punch on the low end will keep the kids happy.
Or a great senior’s last car that eventually gets handed down to the teenager (or the family member who needs wheels). I feel like this is an underserved – but inevitable – audience for these entry-level cars. Should really be marketed – and equipped – as exit-level cars.
$16k for a car that costs $5-6 (using NJ off-peak 11c/kwh) to recharge at home is pretty damned nice. Compared to how expensive everything else in life has become, this would be awesome.
Or if you’re well off, this is a great teenager’s first car. It just needs a way to inhibit long runs of acceleration. But a little punch on the low end will keep the kids happy.
Or a great senior’s last car that eventually gets handed down to the teenager (or the family member who needs wheels). I feel like this is an underserved – but inevitable – audience for these entry-level cars. Should really be marketed – and equipped – as exit-level cars.
You can tell that everyone in the door and exterior lighting design teams received participation trophies.
You can tell that everyone in the door and exterior lighting design teams received participation trophies.
Kinda of looks like a Lada Niva but with 4 doors and a bit more round and lower.
Kinda of looks like a Lada Niva but with 4 doors and a bit more round and lower.
Strange that it looks like a pug eyed pup in the teaser photos, but not in the well lit ICE photo. Sure dig a pug eyed mini EV
Strange that it looks like a pug eyed pup in the teaser photos, but not in the well lit ICE photo. Sure dig a pug eyed mini EV
Could be interesting if it came with the tax credit. Maybe there would be good lease deals. EPA range is probably closer to 165-170 applying WLTP’s ~22% overestimate. Real world range will be slightly lower and cold winter/hot summer range lower still. I wouldn’t be surprised to see people getting 150 or so.
That would get it done for lots of people commute-wise, but definitely needs to be below 20k all in since it won’t work as someone’s only car in the US.
No EVs, even the cheap ones, with that kind of range have ever been real sellers here. Hell, the 150 mile Leaf is available now for ~$24K after credit.
I’m continually mystified by the authors and the people in the comments who assume things like this would be a success here. Even if someone could rationally use this as commuter, the typical car buyer doesn’t want small, doesn’t want cheap, and doesn’t want low range and the associated anxiety. Europe is poor, small, and full of dense cities. They *need* cars like this. America is large, rich, and sprawling. We are better served by other things.
To some extent it becomes what type of marketing and backend is done. The Leaf was never a ‘good ev’, it had catastrophic cooling issues at least until it was being hamstrung by the awful dead CHAdeMO port, and never competitive in anything.
Miata’s are not real sellers either, but that doesn’t mean we want them out of the market as options. (Every full year the leaf has existed, it has outsold the MX-5, most years by 50-100%).
I think there is a big difference between continuing to build a slow-seller that has a long history, a dedicated fan base and is in some sense your halo car (despite being cheap) vs introducing a brand new slow-seller.
I don’t think Mazda would introduce the Miata as a new vehicle today, and obviously no one else is trying to build one.
Miatas are halo cars though. They sell other Mazdas by association because they give Mazda real sporty car cred. Is anyone looking at a Leaf and thinking “That’s so cool, I should look at other Nissans”?
Yes I basically agree. Something like this would have to be *very* cheap (think Jason and Bishop’s 16k car from yesterday) and have other interesting attributes to get people to overlook the serious flaws it will inevitably have.
I don’t believe range is an issue when 40 miles /day is all many drive. People with garages and electricity.
If that were true, people would buy/would have bought the cheap, short range cars on offer.
Other than the leaf and sortof bolt, they haven’t been traditionally cheap. And the leaf suffered truly arguably the worst thermal mismanagement of modern evs (but still hasn’t been a “bad seller” overall), and the bolt had quite literally the cheapest least comfortable interior in the entire market, even when it cost quite a bit more msrp than competition.
Most of the US never even saw the plethora of intentionally small volume compliance cars like the egolf, and the i3 was/is very expensive for the use case.
This is a no-go here. The people who could use it usually don’t have access to charging at home.
Anyone suburban enough to have a garage (and home charging) will need more range.
Could be interesting if it came with the tax credit. Maybe there would be good lease deals. EPA range is probably closer to 165-170 applying WLTP’s ~22% overestimate. Real world range will be slightly lower and cold winter/hot summer range lower still. I wouldn’t be surprised to see people getting 150 or so.
That would get it done for lots of people commute-wise, but definitely needs to be below 20k all in since it won’t work as someone’s only car in the US.
No EVs, even the cheap ones, with that kind of range have ever been real sellers here. Hell, the 150 mile Leaf is available now for ~$24K after credit.
I’m continually mystified by the authors and the people in the comments who assume things like this would be a success here. Even if someone could rationally use this as commuter, the typical car buyer doesn’t want small, doesn’t want cheap, and doesn’t want low range and the associated anxiety. Europe is poor, small, and full of dense cities. They *need* cars like this. America is large, rich, and sprawling. We are better served by other things.
To some extent it becomes what type of marketing and backend is done. The Leaf was never a ‘good ev’, it had catastrophic cooling issues at least until it was being hamstrung by the awful dead CHAdeMO port, and never competitive in anything.
Miata’s are not real sellers either, but that doesn’t mean we want them out of the market as options. (Every full year the leaf has existed, it has outsold the MX-5, most years by 50-100%).
I think there is a big difference between continuing to build a slow-seller that has a long history, a dedicated fan base and is in some sense your halo car (despite being cheap) vs introducing a brand new slow-seller.
I don’t think Mazda would introduce the Miata as a new vehicle today, and obviously no one else is trying to build one.
Miatas are halo cars though. They sell other Mazdas by association because they give Mazda real sporty car cred. Is anyone looking at a Leaf and thinking “That’s so cool, I should look at other Nissans”?
Yes I basically agree. Something like this would have to be *very* cheap (think Jason and Bishop’s 16k car from yesterday) and have other interesting attributes to get people to overlook the serious flaws it will inevitably have.
I don’t believe range is an issue when 40 miles /day is all many drive. People with garages and electricity.
If that were true, people would buy/would have bought the cheap, short range cars on offer.
Other than the leaf and sortof bolt, they haven’t been traditionally cheap. And the leaf suffered truly arguably the worst thermal mismanagement of modern evs (but still hasn’t been a “bad seller” overall), and the bolt had quite literally the cheapest least comfortable interior in the entire market, even when it cost quite a bit more msrp than competition.
Most of the US never even saw the plethora of intentionally small volume compliance cars like the egolf, and the i3 was/is very expensive for the use case.
This is a no-go here. The people who could use it usually don’t have access to charging at home.
Anyone suburban enough to have a garage (and home charging) will need more range.
I don’t think it would sell well in USA, it looks like it could be the Quebec special of electric cars.
I agree as much as I think people in the cities or that work in the cities would benefit from small cars like this. Small cars just not sold well here in the US for a long time and seeing every manufactures lineup in the currently I don’t think that is going to change. Maybe I am wrong and the pendulum will swing the other way from the big cars we currently have but I am not holding my breath.
People in cities do not have access to home charging, and public charging isn’t something to be relied on at this point.
True that. Think I was saying more so of the car being small so easier to park and get around in a city and less of it being electric. But yeah our cities are nowhere near built for EV’s yet or probably ever will be because I doubt the cities or rental property/garage owners are going to truly invest in the infrastructure for them.
In a lot of older cities, it can be risky plugging in a window air conditioner. Old, old wiring. They’re highly unlikely to add EV charging facilities.
The housing doesn’t necessarily come with parking either. My friend in NYC had to street park his car like a 45 minute subway commute from his apartment. He wasn’t using the car daily, so it just sat almost all week or possibly two weeks until he needed it again.
Even if there were curbside chargers, there’s a large chance a jerk like this will be parked in front of it.