Could a tiny $30,000 2024 Hyundai Casper electric SUV challenge the BYD Dolphin and MG4 in Australia?
Hyundai is set to embark on an experiment that will see it radically slash the cost of its cheapest EV in Europe when its new Hyundai Casper arrives before the end of this year.
According to Automotive News, Hyundai is plotting to introduce a specially adapted battery-electric version of the small combustion-powered Hyundai Casper SUV it already sells in South Korea.
Read more: An electric Hyundai Casper? Just build it! EVCentral’s Korean Casper test
Developed to an ultra-low price of “less than €20,000” ($A33,000), Hyundai hopes the Casper EV will democratise electric cars in Europe, while fending off the new wave of cheap electric cars from the likes of MG and BYD.
The Hyundai Casper EV’s arrival also pre-empts the debut of new cheap zero-emission cars from the likes of established Euro brands, including the incoming fourth-gen Renault Twingo.
The Volkswagen Group has already announced it too is readying affordable EVs with the incoming Cupra Raval, VW Up replacement and a small Skoda EV all confirmed for production, although they will be priced significantly above the Casper EV, with prices kicking off at €25,000 ($A41,000).
Another motivation to roll out a cut-price Casper EV is some consumers believe Hyundai’s cheapest electric car, the Hyundai Kona EV, is too expensive in Europe, priced from €36,400 ($A60,300).
According to reports, production of the Casper EV will begin in Korea as soon as this July ahead of its unveiling in Europe in Q3 of 2024.
Sales will then kick-off before the end of this year at a rock-bottom price.
Currently, the Casper is only sold in South Korea, with Europe preferring to import the Turkish-built Hyundai i10 city car for its entry offering.
To ensure the Casper SUV succeeds, Hyundai hasn’t simply binned its petrol 1.0-litre and slotted in a battery-electric powertrain.
Instead, the Euro-spec Casper is radically different to the one sold in its home market, with the small SUV’s wheelbase stretched by as much as 250mm to help it deliver more space within.
Its bigger size will also stop buyers looking at the Casper as a more expensive i10 alternative as it will be positioned between the smallest Hyundai city car and the larger i20 supermini.
Made in the car-maker’s Gwangju factory, to keep costs low the Casper misses out on lithium-ion chemistry batteries and adopts cheaper lithium iron phosphate power packs.
Hyundai is believed to be targeting a range between 200-300km.
There’s no word yet if right-hand drive has been green lit for the UK market, but if it does it opens the door for the Hyundai Casper EV debut Down Under where it should easily usurp the BYD Dolphin ($38,890) as Australia’s cheapest EV.
The only fly in the ointment is whether or not the cheapest Hyundai EV will be safe enough to pass ADR for our market, although the heavy adaptation for European markets should see it bag some extra crash protection needed for a decent showing in EuroNCAP crash tests.
We look forward to learning more about its Australian potentian following its reveal in the second half of this year.
