Hyundai's Tata Punch.EV rival in India will boast these features
South Korean automaker Hyundai revealed its new compact electric SUV, the Inster EV, at the 2024 Busan International Mobility Show. The vehicle is set to debut in Hyundai's home market before expanding to Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Now, the company has confirmed the vehicle's launch in India. It will debut here in the second half of 2026.
Meet Hyundai's compact SUV for India
The Inster EV will be introduced in India as a compact SUV under the codename HE1i. This model will be based on Hyundai's affordable E-GMP (K) platform, designed specifically for electric vehicles. Before the launch of HE1i, Hyundai plans to release the Creta EV in 2025, which will feature an ICE-derived electric vehicle architecture.
A compact SUV with extended dimensions
The Inster EV is a compact SUV based on the Casper, a crossover city car offered in select overseas markets. The vehicle will be manufactured here at Hyundai's Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu. The Inster EV is 230mm longer than the Casper, with an extended wheelbase of 180mm to accommodate a larger battery pack, making it slightly smaller than the Tata Punch.
Inster EV: Two variants with different battery capacities
For global markets, Hyundai is offering a Standard and a Long-Range variant of the Inster, equipped with 42kWh and 49kWh battery packs respectively. The electric motor on the Standard variant delivers 97hp while the long-range variant delivers 115hp. Both trims have a torque output of 147Nm and WLTP-certified ranges of 300km and 355km, respectively. These options are expected to be available for the Indian-spec version as well.
Hyundai's production plans and investment in EVs
Hyundai aims to produce roughly 90,000 units per year initially, including 26,000 units of Creta EV, and 65,000 units of the compact electric SUV. A big percentage of these will be exported, especially the smaller SUV. The firm has allocated ₹20,000 crore for developing EVs for the Indian market over the next eight years.
Hyundai to challenge Tata Motors in EV segment
Hyundai's primary competitor in the entry-level EV segment will be Tata Motors, which boasts a strong EV portfolio including popular cars such as the Punch.EV, Tiago.EV, Tigor.EV and Nexon.EV. Despite facing stiff competition from Tata Motors in the mainstream car market, Hyundai is set to actively challenge the homegrown brand in the volume electric vehicle segment, within the next 12-24 months.
