The Hyundai i10 will be replaced in Europe by two affordable electric models. The Korean automaker is developing a direct replacement that will retain the hatchback body of its predecessor, as well as a crossover based on the same platform. Both vehicles will serve in segment A (urban).
Most likely, the crossover is an electric version of the recently introduced Hyundai Casper, a tiny SUV that, although currently only available in South Korea, has already been spotted during its tests in Europe accompanied by the IONIQ 6. Both the hatchback and the electric Casper will make use of the BA platform from the current i10.
Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, head of marketing for Hyundai in Europe, has indicated that the price target for these models will be 20,000 euros. Therefore, they will be placed in the same bracket as the Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID.1. “Everyone in the industry knows that the target for these types of vehicles is 20,000 euros. “
Until the year 2030, Hyundai will launch 11 electric models in the European market. This type of vehicle accounted for 20% of its sales in the old continent during the first half of the year, a notable improvement compared to the 14.1% achieved in the entire year 2021. This figure should increase with the arrival of new proposals such as the imminent IONIQ 6.
The Hyundai Casper is already being tested in Europe
The supplier BorgWarner will be in charge of supplying the drive unit of the electric access Hyundai. The inverter and power electronics will be integrated into the pack, while the electric motor will be a permanent magnet, allowing Hyundai to offer vehicles with a high level of efficiency.
In the absence of official confirmation, the electric Casper is expected to go into production throughout 2023, reaching our market in early 2024. The direct replacement for the i10, for its part, will wait until the third quarter of that same year, Well, unlike the Casper, whose thermal versions have already been presented, it is still in an early development phase.
It is interesting to remember that the Hyundai Casper falls under the “Gyeongcha” category in South Korea, a segment of micro-cars with certain tax advantages. For this reason, its length is less than 3.6 meters (3,595 millimeters) and its width is less than 1.6 meters (1,595 millimeters). Despite this, it enjoys a highly modular cabin.
