The tiny, cheap city car is a category that’s under threat in Europe, as they provide ever-slimmer profit margins for manufacturers. One of the only brands keeping the faith is Hyundai with the little i10, and it’s soon to be joined by an ultra-cute electric sibling in the shape of the Hyundai Inster.
The Inster – that name, apparently, derives from the words ‘intimate’ and ‘innovative’ – is actually an all-electric version of a petrol car that’s already been on sale in Korea for a few years, the Casper. Much like the eponymous ghost, it’s a very friendly-looking little thing and was developed around a sort of Korean equivalent of Japan’s kei car regulations, albeit slightly less restrictive.
The Hyundai Casper. Awwwwwww!
While the petrol Casper’s not likely to make it to European shores, Hyundai’s confirmed that the Inster will be heading here following its full debut at the Busan International Mobility Show later this month. Until then, we’ve got the usual suite of shadowy preview images to tease us about its design, although it doesn’t take much imagination to guess what it’ll look like.
It maintains the petrol Casper’s ‘chunky 4×4 on a hot wash’ looks, with those big, circular LED daytime running lights. It also transfers over the bold, blocky pixel-style LED lighting design found on the Ioniq 5 and 6.
Hyundai Inster teaser
Hyundai hasn’t divulged any tech specs yet but has confirmed that it’s targeting a range of 220 miles – mightily impressive in a car this size, and something that might make it suitable for the odd jaunt outside city centres. It’ll also apparently “set new standards” in its class for safety and tech.
Between this and the Dacia Spring, then, which has just gone on sale as the UK’s cheapest EV (that’s actually a proper car), it seems like the basic city car’s got some life in it yet.
