Hyundai had announced it: here is its new affordable electric car. Called Inster, it takes the basis of the small Casper sold in Korea and wants to chase the lands of the Dacia Spring and the Citroën ë-C3, with an interesting price and range. Here is his first information.
For several years, the market for affordable electric cars has been growing at breakneck speed, with the Dacia Spring, but not only that. Indeed, more and more of them are now arriving in dealerships, including the Citroën ë-C3, which we recently tested.
Adorable style
A rumor has been circulating for several months that Hyundai is also preparing its own low-cost electric car. And after publishing a first teaser at the beginning of June, it is now official, the Korean manufacturer finally reveals its Inster to us via a press release.
It is in fact an evolution of the Casper, already sold in its country of origin. Globally, the style remains quite close to the original versionsince we find in particular the small LED lights, as well as the round fog lights just below.
The very wide grille is now full on our European version, while the silhouette is almost unchanged. However, the dimensions are increasing, with a length of 3.80 meters for 3.60 meters for the Korean version. The car also measures 1.61 meters wide and 1.57 meters high, while it sits on rims ranging from 15 to 17 inches depending on the finish chosen. The rear part is also very modern since it benefits from a pixel lighting signature, which reminds us in particular of what the Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers.
For the moment, the manufacturer has not yet communicated on the Cd (drag coefficient) of its small SUV, which has a wheelbase of 2.58 meters. Enough to carry up to five people once approval is complete. Hyundai also announces the presence of a sliding bench seata rare piece of equipment in the segment, allowing the trunk volume to be increased between 280 and 351 liters. The interior presentation is quite classic and above all, it does not involve a riot of screens.
We still find some two 10.25 inches each, one acting as a handset and the other serving the infotainment system. This should logically be compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, even if this has not yet been confirmed at the moment. We also note the presence of numerous physical buttons, which is a very good thing whereas cars favoring all-touch could be penalized in EuroNCAP crash tests. Finally, several upholstery made from recycled materials is available for the driving position, including black, brown and beige.
Generous autonomy
But what interests us most is what is hidden under the hood of this little Hyundai Inster, which will only be offered with a 100% electric engine. Two configurations will be available, with an entry-level model featuring a 97 horsepower engine, combined with a 42 kWh battery. The latter allows the small electric SUV to travel up to 300 kilometers in a single charge according to the WLTP cycle. The second version, with 115 horsepower and a battery of 49 kWhcan for its part reach 355 kilometers WLTP.
Enough to reassure customers, but above all to compete with the Dacia Spring, which is satisfied with 230 kilometers. For its part, the Citroën ë-C3 can reach 320 kilometers in the combined cycle. As for recharging, the small Korean SUV will be able to go from 10 to 80% in 30 minutes with a maximum power of 120 kW in direct current. In alternating current, the Hyundai Inster accepts up to 11 kW, enough to recharge in 4 hours for the small battery and 4h35 for the large one.
Note that the car is also equipped with V2L bi-directional charging technology, which allows electrical devices to be charged directly via the exterior charging socket. 220 volts. The technological equipment is also comprehensive, including, among other things, lane keeping assistance and blind spot detection. The car is also equipped with Highway Driving Assistant, which is in fact a semi-autonomous driving system.
Last surprise of the press release: the announcement of another version, l’Inster Crosswhich will be endowed “of a more robust design”without further details.
Barely unveiled at the Busan show, the new Hyundai Inster has not yet revealed its prices, but several spokespersons have in the past announced that they are aiming for a first price between 20,000 and 25,000 euros, with the possibility of accessing the ecological bonus despite being manufactured in Korea . It will be available in Europe in early 2025.
