The Hyundai Casper EV would be the Korean automaker’s answer for a sub-RM100k EV.
Undoubtedly, one of Hyundai’s most successful models in the last couple of years has been in the form of an electric vehicle (EV). With awards and plaudits globally, Hyundai struck gold when they created the Ioniq 5.
Hyundai’s plan to make an affordable EV
Realising that there’s demand for Hyundai EVs, it seems that the Korean automaker wants to capitalise on this EV momentum that they are on, but this time, they want to make an EV that is accessible to the masses.
Hyundai’s European marketing boss Andreas-Christoph Hofmann has told Automotive News Europe that they want to create an EV that is under RM100k (€20,000), and this car will be one of 11 new electric Hyundais launched in Europe by 2030.
According to Autoexpress, it’s possible that this EV would be an electrified version of the Hyundai Casper, a compact SUV-style city car that is only on sale in South Korea currently.
The Casper is a little SUV with five doors, is roomy enough to comfortably seat four adults, and has a party trick of folding all its chairs totally flat. Currently, it is only sold with a 1.0-litre NA or turbocharged engine (75hp/95Nm or 99hp/172Nm) and is quite fun and easy to drive, according to those who have tried it out.
Hyundai’s A-segment EV would go up against the VW ID. Life
The Casper EV would be ideal as it would take the fight to A-segment EVs from the Volkswagen Group, The Volkswagen ID. Life and Cupra UrbanRebel, which is currently under development.
Both VW group EVs is expected to have a range of around 400 kilometres, so the Casper will have to have something close to those reported figures to stand a fighting chance.
Australia might be one of the first countries to get the Hyundai Casper
Australian journalists who were at the Ioniq 6′s launch in Seoul recently were pushed towards testing the Casper while they were there, giving hope that an electric version would reach their shores, according to news.com.au.
“If it (the Casper EV) was built, that car would make sense for Australia,” said Hyundai Australia’s Bill Thomas. “The Casper looks fantastic, it’s a great size and it’s a segment that Hyundai has been really good at in Australia in the past”, reported news.com.au.