[Taboleo] "Hyundai's Latest Advanced Technology All Included" Casper EV

Hyundai Small Electric Car Casper EV
Advanced Technology Concentrated Model Beyond Vehicle Class Boundaries
Applied Sudden Acceleration and EV Fire Prevention Technologies
Removed Compact Car Label with Spacious Interior Utilization
Futuristic Design and Excellent Driving Performance

"Hyundai Motor's advanced technology condensed into an electric car priced in the 20 million KRW range."

This is the best phrase to describe Hyundai's compact electric car, the Casper Electric. To usher in the era of electric vehicle popularization, there must be products accessible to consumers at least in the mid-20 million KRW range. At the same time, it is essential to equip advanced features that satisfy trend-sensitive electric vehicle owners.

Hyundai positions the Casper Electric as the vanguard opening the era of electric vehicle popularization. So far, the Casper Electric is the most affordable yet technologically advanced model within Hyundai's electric vehicle lineup. There is even a joke that it is an "upstart" model that crosses class boundaries. This is thanks to Hyundai's extreme enhancement of the Casper Electric's product competitiveness to overcome the electric vehicle "chasm" (a temporary demand slowdown before popularization). On the 20th of last month, I personally test-drove the Casper Electric around Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province.

Hyundai Casper EV [Photo by Hyundai]

Applied Sudden Acceleration and EV Fire Prevention Technologies

Hyundai applied advanced technologies beyond the vehicle class to the new Casper Electric to alleviate consumers' safety concerns.

The most noticeable feature is the "Pedal Misapplication Prevention Safety Assist (PMSA)" system, which can reduce suspected sudden acceleration accidents. This function stops the vehicle if an obstacle is detected within 1 meter in front or behind the car when the driver mistakenly presses the accelerator pedal instead of the brake and suddenly floors the accelerator.

Hyundai Casper EV [Photo by Hyundai]

On this day, I experienced the pedal misapplication prevention function. Even when flooring the accelerator quickly with an obstacle placed in front of the vehicle, the car did not move at all. It judged that pressing the accelerator fully despite the obstacle was a human error.

Another advanced safety technology is the battery pre-diagnosis system. The Battery Management System (BMS) monitors the battery status in real-time during parking, charging, and driving, and notifies the owner via text message if any abnormalities occur. The vehicle autonomously controls minor battery cell shorts or overcharging that could cause battery fires.

Casper EV Sheds Its Compact Car Label

Another strength of the Casper Electric is its spaciousness compared to similar class vehicles. On this day, I sat in the rear seat of the Casper Electric. At 160 cm tall, I found ample space in front of my knees and above my head. The rear seat backrest can also recline, making it spacious and comfortable for a small car's back seat.

This is thanks to an increase of 230 mm in overall length and 180 mm in wheelbase compared to the internal combustion engine version. As the vehicle's length increased, the space for rear passengers to move also expanded. Additionally, the rear seats can slide forward and backward, allowing flexible adjustment of trunk space. The Casper Electric's cargo capacity is 280 liters, 47 liters more than the internal combustion Casper. Pushing the rear seats forward can increase the capacity up to 351 liters.

Hyundai Casper EV with both front and rear seats folded down
[Photo by Hyundai]

Hyundai Casper EV second-row space
[Photo by Hyundai]

Can you camp inside the Casper Electric? To conclude, "solo car camping" seems possible. You can stretch your legs and rest inside the car or load long items like golf bags or surfboards. Folding down both the first and second-row seats creates ample space for camping. Additionally, it is equipped with a generous 49 kWh battery for its class and features V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) technology, allowing electric power to be drawn from the vehicle externally.

Futuristic Design and Excellent Driving Performance

The Casper Electric differs from the internal combustion model in its front and rear lamps, which feature pixel graphics. This graphic design is also applied to Hyundai's flagship electric vehicle, the Ioniq 5, creating a unified look across the electric vehicle lineup and giving a futuristic impression.

Inside the driver's seat, the large 10.25-inch display, interactive steering wheel showing vehicle status such as charging level, column-type gear lever, and surround view monitor assisting parking were impressive.

Hyundai Casper EV Interior
Photo by Hyundai Motor Company

Driving performance was also notable. As a compact electric vehicle, it moved smoothly and nimbly, with quick acceleration. The Casper Electric is equipped with a motor producing a maximum output of 84.5 kW and maximum torque of 147 Nm. The 49 kWh lithium-ion battery made by LG Energy Solution allows a single charge driving range of 315 km. This distance is enough to drive from Seoul to Gwangju. The battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes.

On this day, the temperature rose to 35 degrees Celsius in the hot summer. I drove around Goyang and Paju in Gyeonggi Province with the air conditioner on full blast. Even on highway driving, the energy efficiency recorded was 6.8 km/kWh. The official energy efficiency of this car is 5.6 km/kWh (based on 15-inch tire combined efficiency).

Price competitiveness is also high. The launch price after tax benefits is 29.9 million KRW, under 30 million KRW. Adding the national subsidy of 5.2 million KRW and local government subsidies, it can be purchased in the low to mid 20 million KRW range.

Hyundai Casper EV [Photo by Hyundai]