Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled the ‘Inster’, a new sub-compact electric vehicle at the Busan International Mobility Show 2024. 

Exterior

Built on the ‘Casper’, a Korea-specific, petrol sub-compact SUV introduced in 2021, the Inster’s design gets an extended body and wheelbase. With the expanded dimensions, the Inster is positioned between traditional A-segment sub-compact city cars and larger B-segment compact models.

The exterior design is characterised by smooth, rounded edges, bulged fenders, a circuit board-style bumper and a skid plate at the front and rear.

The Inster’s gets LED daytime running light signature and pixel-graphic turn signals, tail lamp and bumpers. LED projection headlamps and a two-tone exterior with a blacked-out roof are also offered on some variants. The Inster gets 15-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, 15-inch alloy wheels or 17-inch alloy wheels depending on the variant.

Exterior colour choices include Atlas White, Tomboy Khaki, Bijarim Khaki Matte and Unbleached Ivory, as well as several new paint-jobs, such as Sienna Orange Metallic, Aero Silver Matte, Dusk Blue Matte, Buttercream Yellow Pearl, and Abyss Black Pearl. Some exterior colour choices will be available in two-tone combinations with a contrasting black roof. The paint of the Inster, Hyundai claims, is sustainable featuring black high-gloss recycled paint, which replaces the carbon black pigment traditionally used in black paint with a colouring made from recycled waste tires.

Interior

On the inside, the Inster features a 10.25-inch digital cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation and a wireless charging dock as a part of the centre console. The pixel theme is repeated inside, also featuring customisable upper door trim garnishes for owners to further personalise the vehicle.

The Inster’s front row seating provides walk-through access and all seats can be folded flat – including the driver’s seat – for increased flexibility. A front bench seat option and heated front seats and steering wheel are also available. The second-row seats are slidable, can recline and also split 50-50. 

Interior trim choices include Black, and Khaki Brown and Newtro Beige two-tone with full cloth trim. According to Hyundai, the interior of the Inster also uses sustainable materials like recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from bottles and bio-polypropylene material extracted from sugarcane are used inside.

Hyundai says that the Inster will launch first in Korea this summer, followed by Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific in due course. Most equipment and technologies will come fitted as standard with extra convenience and design features available as options. The exact specifications is set to be confirmed closer to the launch. Hyundai has also planned an additional variant in the future called ‘Inster Cross’ featuring a more rugged, outdoor-focused design.

"With Inster, we've taken the small SUV image to a bold new place for the global audience," said Simon Loasby, Senior Vice-President and Head of the Hyundai Design Center. "Inster punches well above its weight with distinctive design and an interior that maximises its potential in exciting, customer-centric ways. With Inster we're redefining what it means to drive a sub-compact EV," added Simon.

Performance and Range

The Inster EV is equipped with a 42 kWh battery as standard, and is also available with a long-range 49 kWh battery as an option. Both models are powered by a single motor that delivers 71.1 kW (97 PS) in the base variant and 84.5 kW (115 PS) in the long-range model. Both versions offer 147 Nm of torque.

With a claimed range of 355km on a single charge for the long-range model, the Inster requires an estimated energy consumption of 15.3 kWh/100 km. (Both figures are for the 15-inch wheels) The standard range model gets a claimed range of more than 300km.

The sub-compact EV can charge from 10 to 80 percent in around 30 minutes under optimal conditions when using a 120 kW DC high-power charging station. It also comes equipped with an 11 kW on-board charger as standard, while a battery heating system and high-efficiency heat pump are available.

External and internal Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality provides power for external devices (110V/220V), allowing bi-directional charging without requiring additional equipment. This enables customers to freely use or charge devices such as electric bicycles, scooters and camping equipment.

Specifications and Features

*Specifications are based on European-model Hyundai Inster. Features, technology and claimed figures may differ depending on the market.

Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has placed an extra order for 148 electric buses from Tata Motors, the biggest commercial vehicle manufacturer in India. This purchase comes after BMTC placed an earlier order for 921 electric buses, the majority of which have been delivered and are operating effectively with an uptime of more than 95 percent.

The Tata Starbus EV 12-metre low-floor electric buses will be supplied, operated and maintained for a term of 12 years by TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Ltd, a completely owned subsidiary of Tata Motors. With its best-in-class features and outstanding design, the Tata Starbus EV offers a pleasant and environmentally friendly commute. These zero-emission electric buses are built on cutting-edge battery technologies and next-generation design to provide a convenient, safe and comfortable intra-city journey around Bengaluru.

Ramachandran R, IAS, MD, BMTC, said, "We are happy to further strengthen our partnership with Tata Motors with these additional 148 electric buses for our fleet modernisation. The performance of the existing Tata electric buses has been exceptional, aligning perfectly with our commitment to sustainable and efficient public transportation. The larger e-bus fleet will significantly enhance our capacity to provide eco-friendly, comfortable and reliable services to the citizens of Bengaluru."

Asim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, CEO and MD, TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Limited, said, "We are honoured by BMTC's continued trust in our e-mobility solutions. This additional order of 148 buses is a testament to the proven success of our Starbus EVs and the operational excellence delivered in Bengaluru's urban environment. We remain committed to delivering innovative solutions that benefit both the community and the environment."

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), the country's largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has shared the teaser image for its first electric vehicle product - the e Vitara.

Set to be unveiled at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, the e Vitara will be made in India for the world. It was recently unveiled by Suzuki Motor Corporation at Milan, Italy.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The e Vitara is a testament of our unwavering commitment to sustainable mobility and technological innovation. With decades of automotive expertise, we have combined advanced electric technology with a customer-first approach to deliver something truly transformative. At Maruti Suzuki, we have always believed that to promote EV adoption, we need to create a holistic ecosystem that simplifies customers' battery electric vehicle ownership journey.”

“A critical barrier to the adoption of EVs is the lack of accessible charging. To tackle this issue, we are committed to introduce a reliable and comprehensive EV ecosystem alongside the e Vitara. This will include home charging solutions as well as a nationwide network of fast chargers available at Maruti Suzuki dealerships and service touchpoints. Our goal is to make EVs accessible, convenient, and appealing to a broader set of customers, and this is exactly what we have set out to achieve with the e Vitara,” he added.

​​Vadodara-headquartered electric vehicle company WardWizard Innovations & Mobility recently launched its new range of EV offerings, which it expects to give a new charge to its retail sales.

It was on 13 December 2024 the Joy e-rik V1 (L5) and Joy Bandhu (L3) electric three-wheelers in the passenger category and Joy Sahayak + Cargo (L5) and Joy Eco Loader (L3) in the electric three-wheeler cargo space were launched by the EV maker, thus marking its entry into the fast-growing electric three-wheeler space.

The Joy e-rik V1, priced at INR 385,000 (ex-showroom), comes with 10.24 kW li-ion battery, 50 kmph max speed and 140 km claimed range on a full charge. It can be charged in 4.5-5 hours using the 50 Amp charger.

The Joy Bandhu priced at INR 134,000, uses a 7.2 kW lead-acid battery, has a claimed range of 120 km and top speed limited to 25 kmph.

On the other hand, the Joy Sahayak + Cargo, priced at INR 424,000, is targeted for payload capacity of 650 kg + driver, max speed of 50 kmph, up to 130 km range on a single charge. It uses a 10.2 kW LFP li-ion battery and can be charged in four hours using 50 Amp charger. The Joy Eco Loader, on the other hand, comes with a payload capacity of 310 kg + driver and is priced at INR 130,000.

At present, electric three-wheeler sales in India are averaging 56,674 units a month (CY 2024) as compared to 47,204 units last year. What’s also driving the sales is the government incentives like the Centre’s PM E-Drive scheme that provides demand incentives to support purchase of 316,000 e-three-wheelers including e-rickshaws. They are entitled to a subsidy of INR 25,000 in the first year and INR 12,500 in the second year. For the L5 category (cargo e-three-wheelers), the incentive is INR 50,000 per unit in the first year and INR 25,000 the next.

For the Vadodara-based EV maker, the idea to enter the electric three-wheeler space is on the back of the growing demand for greener last-mile delivery as well as last-mile mobility connectivity options.

Interestingly, it has already onboarded 27 dealerships that will focus on selling electric three-wheelers. Furthermore, it will also provide preference for its around 900 existing dealer and network partners to sell its new offerings.

For FY2025, WardWizard Innovations & Mobility estimates to sell around 50,000 units of electric vehicles across electric two-wheelers (low speed and high speed) and three-wheelers (L3 & L5) in India. It estimates that the sales will grow by 22-24 percent YoY in FY2026.

While it has recently entered the e-three-wheeler space, the company expects the new products to have around 30-35 percent share in its overall sales starting from FY2026.

On the other hand, reducing its reliance on low-speed electric two-wheeler category, the company also introduced a new high-speed e-scooter ‘Nemo’. Priced at INR 99,000 (ex-showroom), it comes with a 40 Ah NMC li-ion battery and a 1,500W DC brushless hub motor that gives it a max speed of 65 kmph. It has a claimed range of 130 km on a single charge in Eco mode. The e-scooter uses a digital speedometer, 5-inch full-colour TF display and projector LED headlight. The company has targeted a modest 2,000 units sales for Nemo in the next three months.

The EV maker currently has an installed capacity to produce 73,000 electric two-wheelers, 7,300 L5 electric three-wheelers and 18,250 L3 electric three-wheelers per annum. The company claims that apart from some plastic components and cells being imported, everything has been localised.

It further aims to start manufacturing its own batteries in the next one year in Vadodara, for which the pilots are underway.

Ahmedabad-based electric mobility start-up Matter was recently awarded the 10th CII Industrial IP Award 2024 at the CII Annual Summit on Technology, Intellectual Property, and Industry-Academia Partnership, held on 12th and 13th December in New Delhi.

The recognition was on the back of the company’s robust portfolio of over 300 patent applications and 58 granted patents in areas such as powertrain cooling, gearbox technologies, charging infrastructure, and manufacturing automation.

The EV maker is the first to launch a geared e-motorcycle called ‘Aera’, which it expects will play a key role in driving higher adoption of green vehicles in the motorcycle space.

Kumar Prasad, Founder and CTO, Matter, said, "Innovation has always been at the heart of Matter’s vision. This award reaffirms our commitment to redefining the electric mobility sector with pioneering research and development. We are proud to contribute to India’s vibrant IP ecosystem and continue driving technological advancements for a sustainable future."