Watch out BYD and MG: 2025 Hyundai Inster revealed to take the cheap electric car fight to the BYD Dolphin, MG4 and GWM Ora

Hyundai is about to launch its electric car for the masses.

The South Korean brand debuted the new tiny Inster electric SUV at the 2024 Busan motor show and it’s due in Australia early next year.

It promises to give more Australians the chance to jump into an affordable electric car from a mainstream brand.

The city driver focused electric SUV is shorter than a Mazda2 and slimmer than a Toyota Yaris, so it's a seriously mini car on the outside. A sizeable wheelbase – the distance between the front and rear wheels – and its boxy shape will make it much roomier inside than similar sized petrol cars.

It is based on the current Casper micro SUV that is available in Korea and Hyundai has said it was targeting a circa €25,000 ($40,000) starting price for the EV.

It’s the South Korean brand’s cheapest electric car yet and will battle cut-price Chinese EVs such as the $38,890 (before on-road costs) BYD Dolphin and the cheapest MG4 at $40,990 drive-away.

There are two variants: a standard range Inster with more than 300km of driving range and a long range version with up to 355km.

The standard range uses a 42kWh battery that jumps to 49kWh in the long range.

Both use a single electric motor that makes 71kW in the base versions and 85kW in the bigger battery variant. Both make 147Nm of torque.

Hyundai Australia has confirmed both variants will be sold in Australia.

The Inster is fitted with 400-volt charging architecture, compared to the more potent 800-volt set-up found in its bigger electric cars such as the Ioniq 5.

This is cheaper but means it can only accept 120kW max rate of charge, compared to the 800V tech that can theoretically suck up to 350kW of juice.

The small battery lessens the blow, with the brand claiming it can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in half an hour.

It also comes with a vehicle-to-load function, which allows users to plug-in household items such as appliances and camping equipment via a regular household powerpoint located in the car.

It’s a head-turning little SUV with LED headlights, pixel-graphic rear lights, turning signals and bumpers. There is two tone paint work and the choice of 15- or 17-inch alloy wheels.

It has a boxy design with clean lines and has what Hyundai calls “a high-tech, circuit board-style bumper”.

Step inside and you’ll find two 10.25-inch displays: one for the multimedia and the other for the driver’s instruments.

Hyundai has packed the Inster with a wide array of active driver aids and seven airbags.

It has 2+2 seating layout and all seats – including the driver’s – can fold completely flat and there is the option for a front bench seat. Heated and ventilated seats and heated steering wheel are also available.

Rear seats can recline, slide and fold 50/50.

Sustainability is a big part of the Inster with recycled tyres used to make the paint colour and plenty of recycled plastics used inside, as well as a material made out of sugarcane.

Hyundai has also teased a more rugged-styled version, dubbed the Inster Cross, will join the Australian line-up in the future.