Hyundai has unveiled the Inster, the latest fully electric vehicle in its lineup. Based on the Casper sold overseas since 2021, the Inster retains many of the former’s styling cues and features. The all-electric compact SUV is offered with two battery options. Inster will initially go on sale in Korea this summer, followed by Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific in due course. Hyundai also confirmed that a more powerful version, called Inster Cross, is in the pipeline.
Aesthetically, the Inster clearly resembles the Casper on which it is based, sporting a tall stance. It is 230 mm longer than the Casper and it shows. The DRLs, despite their similar placement, have a distinctive block-shaped design, while the round headlights have been retained along with other elements such as the roof rails and window-mounted handlebars. The Inster features a fully enclosed mesh element in black that also houses its charging port. The full-width taillight, while similar to the Casper, features a dot design, similar to other EVs in Hyundai's lineup like the Ioniq 5.
The interior layout is also similar to the Casper, headlined by a freestanding 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen and a digital instruments cluster of the same size. The most notable change is that the gear selector is now located behind the steering wheel, unlike the car it is based on. It also gets a new steering wheel with the Hyundai EV logo, along with slightly revised controls on the dashboard. The list of features offered on the electric vehicle includes 64-color LED ambient lighting, a sunroof, a wireless charging pad, heated front seats, and a steering wheel.
In terms of safety features, it gets a host of ADAS features like Surround View Monitor, Rear Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind Spot Display, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, and blind spot collision assist. -Avoidance assist, intelligent cruise control, etc.
On the powertrain front, the Inster is offered with a single motor and can be equipped with two batteries: a 42 kWh unit (300 km range, WLTP) as standard or a larger 49 kWh battery (355 km range , WLTP). The 42 kWh model has a maximum power of 96 HP, while the 49 kWh model has a higher power of 113 HP. Under ideal conditions, the Inster can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes with a 120 kW high-power charging station. It comes with an integrated 11kW charger as standard. External and internal vehicle charging (V2L) function is available in Inster.
Hyundai India's EV portfolio consists solely of the Ioniq 5. The company is expected to soon expand its all-electric portfolio in India with the launch of the Creta EV. The company also recently discontinued the Kona EV from its India lineup.
