Could a teensy budget electric crossover from Korea’s top maker be pitched here?

POTENTIAL the small Casper crossover is in line to become a budget electric offer by Hyundai here is being ghosted by the local representation.

Currently only sold in South Korea and India as a petrol model, the diminutive four-seater five-door has been acknowledged this week as being almost ready for much broader international sale in an electric car format.

Internationally it’s suggested the car developed specifically for modest spenders who primarily only need an urban runabout could cost less than $35,000. 

If achieved here, that price would make it our cheapest new electric model, effortlessly bumping out current rights’ holder the $42,990 China-sourced Great Wall Motors’ Ora. It would nonetheless still be the second-cheapest Hyundai.

The battery-wed version has yet to be fully revealed, though that seems likely to occur soon.

In the meantime, media in Australia have published images of what they say are have disguised examples, apparently shipped for hot weather testing. They are also reporting that Casper EV will be sold across the Tasman.

At a media gathering for the new Kona, last November, Hyundai NZ said it would have a surprise electric model here during 2024.

Asked if that was the Casper, a brand spokesman today did not discount the possibility, saying “maybe, maybe not.”

Though Casper is built on the same K1 platform as the Kia Picanto is also developed to conform to South Korea’s light car rules that set maximum length and width dimensions.

In petrol form, the car is 3595mm long, 1595mm wide and 1575mm high - so slightly shorter and narrower than a Suzuki Ignis. 

Even though the electric version is thought to be about 200-250mm longer, Casper will be more petite than the Venue, the smallest crossover here currently. Whether an electric Casper could be cheaper is unlikely. That 1.6-litre choice starts at $29,990.

The car shares design language with the latest Kona, with slim LED daytime running lights at the front, but also a pair of larger, circular headlights underneath, standing out on either side of the grille. the interior is also a bit funky, with bold colours and interesting design cues. The rear seat formats as two individual chairs. South Korea also has a van version.

It sells in its home market and India with two kinds of 1.0-litre petrol engine; one normally-aspired making 56kW, the other turbocharged for 74kW, both allied to a four-speed automatic transmission.

However Hyundai has decided to expand the sales reach, primarily into Europe. For the latter, only electric will do.

Hyundai France boss Lionel Keogh said the week that the battery-wed derivative would price around 20,000 Euros - that’s $35,000 New Zealand.

The low entry price has to do with its rumoured lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack that will supposedly be able to offer between 200-300 kilometres of range on a full charge.

Why Casper? Design chief Simon Loasby said Hyundai called it that because “we feel it’s a car which becomes your friend”. However, in addition to alluding to a cartoon character potentially known best to older folk these days, Hyundai says the name also comes from a skateboarding technique.

Hyundai is presently building a new electric vehicle factory in South Korea that is expected to cost around $2.45 billion.