This is likely our first look at Hyundai’s upcoming urban EV that is currently under development for Europe
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Good news for Hyundai fans in the Old Continent as a camouflaged EV prototype of the Casper was spotted on European soil. The model was caught being benchmarked against a Fiat 500e and a VW e-Up!, all but confirming earlier reports about an upcoming Hyundai urban EV for the European market.
The Hyundai Casper debuted in 2021 in Korea as the automaker’s smallest SUV/crossover offering with a length of 3,595 mm (141.5 inches). While the Casper was introduced with a selection of 1.0-liter petrol powertrains, Hyundai confirmed that a fully electric version should be expected in mid-2023. Furthermore, in summer 2022, they announced the development of an urban EV for Europe with a sub-€20k ($21k) price tag.
Combining those bits of information with our latest spy shots makes us believe that a tweaked version of the Casper EV could be offered in European markets. While we can’t say how different the EU-spec EV will look and feel compared to the Korean-spec Casper, the new prototype suggests it is coming soon.
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SH Proshots
The bodywork is covered under a thick layer of camouflage, but the split LED lighting units, the greenhouse, and the overall silhouette reveal that this is a Hyundai Casper. At the same time, the charging port mounted on the front bumper and the lack of tailpipes hint at a zero-emission powertrain. We also got a glimpse inside the cabin where the infotainment touchscreen is larger compared to the ICE-powered model, and the digital instrument cluster appears to be revised.
Chances are that Hyundai engineers will upgrade the ride quality, NVH, safety, and overall refinement of their product in order to meet the needs of the more demanding European customers and comply with stricter safety regulations. Note that the Casper is based on the K1 architecture with different variations underpinning the Hyundai i10, Grand i10 Nios, and Aura plus the Kia Picanto and Ray.
Hyundai has confirmed that the Casper EV will be powered by an integrated drive module (iDM) sourced from BorgWarner, which is capable of producing up to 181 hp (135 kW / 184 PS), although this number will most likely be scaled down for production. We don’t have any information about the battery pack, but expect an urban-focused range figure similar to the competition. Speaking of which, rivals of the tiny EV will include the Fiat 500e, the next-gen Fiat Panda, and the upcoming VW ID.1 at least until more automakers join the segment.
