Hyundai seems to have begun work on a rugged variant for the Inster, its entry-level EV that it had shown a few months ago and is slowly introducing in international markets. It will sell the Inster EV as the Casper EV in some markets.

1. Gets tweaked front and rear bumpers
2. Will get body cladding all around
3. Likely to be called Inster XRT

Could this be an Inster EV XRT?

Hyundai recently took the wraps off the Ioniq 5 XRT, essentially a rugged iteration of the EV. The spy shots of the Inster mule seen in South Korea have similar enhancements, suggesting there could be an Inster EV XRT or a Casper EV XRT in the future, depending on the market.

Just like the Ioniq 5 XRT, the Inster XRT will get rugged-looking front and rear bumpers that allow for better approach and departure angles, additional body cladding all around, and a bigger wheel and tyre package that can take on unpaved roads. It will also have a unique design for the alloy wheels, complementing the SUV’s rugged nature.

Hyundai Inster EV: what is it?

The small electric SUV based on the ICE-powered Casper serves as Hyundai’s global contender in the affordable city EV market. The SUV shares most of its underpinnings with the 3.5-metre-long Casper, which is sold exclusively with a petrol powertrain in Korea. Hyundai has extended the Casper’s platform by 230mm for the Inster, of which 180mm is added to its wheelbase. This expansion allows for more cabin room and additional space for the underfloor battery pack.

Hyundai Inster EV: battery and powertrain

The Inster EV has two battery and motor configurations. Entry-level cars have a 96hp front-mounted drive unit that delivers a 0-100kph sprint time of 11.7 seconds and a top speed of 140kph. It’s paired with a 42kWh battery pack, which is claimed to deliver a range of around 300km. The higher-spec ‘long-range’ Inster is boosted to 113hp and 49kWh, extending its range to around 350km and top speed to 150kph while reducing its 0-100kph time to 10.6 seconds.

Hyundai Inster EV: India launch plans

The upcoming Creta EV will mark Hyundai’s entry into the mass-market EV segment in India. The Inster EV could follow a little later as a potential rival to the Citroen eC3 and Punch EV.