Hyundai Inster Could be the Brand’s Cheapest EV
The Hyundai Inster is an electric compact crossover which has just been revealed. It’s a global model, meaning it could come to SA.
The Hyundai Inster is a cute-looking electric crossover and the brand has confirmed its going global with this one, with retail operations already confirmed for Europe, Middle East and Asia, and there’s a good chance a few might come out way. It appears it’s Hyundai’s cheapest electric car, which is refreshing.
There are two powertrain options; Standard and Long Range. The base Standard uses a single electric motor with 71 kW and 147 Nm, and thanks to a 42 kWh battery pack, a range of just over 300 km is claimed.
For those wanting a bit more range and punch, there’s an 85 kW option paired to a 49 kWh battery that’s good for a claimed range of around 355 km. The vehicle supports 120 kW DC fast charging and that means top-ups from 10-80% take around 30 minutes. AC charging at 11 kW will take around 4.5 hours. The car also supports Vehicle2Load and that means you can charge things like e-bikes from your car.
In terms of size, the Hyundai Inster is 3 825 mm long, putting it slightly bigger than a Suzuki Ignis. A wheelbase of 2 580 means there should just be about enough cabin space for four adults. For the adventuring types, the Korean brand has already confirmed a more rugged version called the Hyundai Inster Cross is on its way.
Hyundai claims all the seats can be folded flat and the second row can slide forwards and backwards for additional practicality options. A boot space of 280 litres and 351 litres is claimed, depending on where you positioned that rear sliding bench.
Will the Hyundai Inster come to South Africa?
The world needs fewer electric cars that are capable of eye-watering performance priced beyond the reach of most motorists. We think that if customers want an electric car, surely affordability and daily-driving range should be the focus?
Hyundai South Africa has already imported a handful of Ioniq 5 units for local testing and homologation, so some progress is being made. The biggest stumbling block to electric cars in South Africa is the import duties which make them prohibitively expensive, in comparison to the petrol-powered equivalent. Still, if this vehicle is available in right-hand drive, we suspect Hyundai SA might bring a few in to test the waters.