Call It Cute, Call It Fun – Hyundai’s Little Crossover Casper Joins the Affordable Electric SUV Lineup, with an Electric Version Likely Launching in Australia.
With our market clamoring for affordable EVs from established brands, the introduction by the South Korean giant of an urban SUV with potentially zero emissions priced under $ 40,000 has strong appeal as an affordable electric SUV.
Although Hyundai has not yet confirmed the Casper fully electric – which is already sold in South Korea and uses a three-cylinder gasoline engine – the local shop Pulse reports that it will build a test car this year, with volume production likely in 2024.
Meet Some Features of the Affordable Electric SUV
Pulse’s article stated that the affordable electric SUV Casper EV may offer a range of up to 400 kilometers on a single charge, matching the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the dominant force in the South Korean small electric vehicle market.
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The distance provided by these tariffs is more than sufficient for city drivers. Sturdy and toy-like in its metal exterior, the Casper offers a surprisingly large cabin space, despite being only 3.6 meters long – exactly the same as the shared platform urban car Kia Picanto.
The small SUV has five doors and spacious seating for four, with all seats fully foldable. Incredibly, this allows some Korean owners to fit a mattress in it and camp. The designer in charge said he wanted the SUV to have the character of a Fiat 500 with the robustness of a Jeep, being “playful, cool, and youthful.”
At the launch of its new Ioniq 6 EV in Seoul, Hyundai was eager for Australian journalists to experience the lovely Casper, hoping that an electric version would make it to our shores. If priced below $ 40,000, the Casper EV will be our new cheapest EV. The MG ZS EV is the cheapest car in Australia at $ 44,990. This price leap in the segment is no surprise for Hyundai – its small models Excel and Getz have been extremely popular budget cars for decades.
World is Searching for Affordable Electric SUV
Australian buyers have turned away from small hatchbacks, but the Casper aligns more with today’s tastes with its sturdy SUV style, raised ride height, and impressive specifications. Huge round LED headlights front and rear are connected by fun vertical light strips, with muscular wheel arches filled with 17-inch alloys.
Inside the affordable electric SUV, there are impressive safety features, radar cruise control, ambient lighting, a digital instrument panel, and heated and cooled synthetic leather seats. It’s fun and easy to drive, with excellent visibility through the large front windows, and the cabin is not as cramped as you might imagine. But a lot of road noise and some cheap plastic remind you that this is a small and affordable product.
The 76kW gasoline version is quick enough to get out of the way, but this is why an agile electric version makes so much sense. With more and more people considering EVs as our next vehicles, EVs are in short supply, and models like the Casper EV may soon be arriving in the affordable electric SUV line-up.

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