Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) will enter the mass-market EV segment with the upcoming Creta EV, set to go on sale in the first quarter of 2025. The Korean carmaker aims to compete with Tata Motors in the electric vehicle market by launching several new products in the coming years. Recently, Hyundai’s headquarters approved a new project to develop a new electric car to rival the Tata Punch EV.
This new sub-compact electric SUV from Hyundai, codenamed HE1i, is confirmed for launch in India and is expected to debut in the second half of 2026. The HE1i will be based on the Inster EV, which was recently showcased at the Busan Auto Show in South Korea.
Hyundai will use a revised electric vehicle architecture derived from the ICE-specific platform for the Creta EV. For the HE1i EV, they will use the born electric E-GMP (K) platform, a global affordable architecture for small mass-market electric cars. The HE1i will be manufactured at Hyundai’s Sriperumbudur facility, with localized battery packs supplied by Exide.
The Inster EV is based on the Casper, sold in several overseas markets. However, the Inster is larger, measuring 3,825mm in length, which is 230mm longer than the Casper. This extra length helps accommodate the battery pack on the floorboard.
The Inster will offer two battery packs internationally: a standard 42 kWh unit with a range of 300 kilometers and a long-range 49 kWh unit with a range of 355 kilometers on a single charge. The India-spec model will likely have similar battery options at launch, just like the Tata Punch EV.
Hyundai plans to produce around 90,000 units annually for the two upcoming EVs, with 26,000 units for the Creta EV and 65,000 units for the compact HE1i SUV. A significant portion of this volume will be for exports, especially for the Inster-based EV.