Even though it isn’t sold here, we at Top Gear Philippines are fans of the Hyundai Casper. It’s been a couple of years since it was launched, but it’s always a car worth revising. Even better, a car worth looking at in the metal.
What we have here is the Casper EV and, you guessed it, it’s the electric version of the small crossover.
Seeing it in person, it looks properly tiny. The tale of the tape reveals a length of just 3,825mm. For reference, slightly shorter than a Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback (3,845mm) and about an inch and a half longer than a Toyota Wigo (3,760mm). The tall roof makes this little hatch look stubby and, well, adorable.
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Predictably, it feels narrow on board. With a width of just 1,610mm, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Still, the tall windows make it feel airy inside, a bit like a kei car. Despite being an EV, it’s not bombarded with screens and touch panels. We’re delighted to see physical buttons in there. All in all, it’s a wise use of space and it looks playful from a design standpoint. Hard plastics are present, but this is a budget EV, after all.
As it’s based on an existing combustion-engined vehicle, the electric motor is mounted at the front. It effectively makes it front wheel drive, and the single motor is good for 95hp and 147Nm. There is a more powerful variant that puts out 113hp but the same torque figure. For battery sized, it’s a choice of 42kWh or 49kWh. Range is rated at 300km for the standard version and 355km for the long range variant based on Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure or WLTP ratings.
The Casper EV is about the same size as the BYD Seagull and we reckon this mini EV is a good match for the latter. Should Hyundai Philippines consider it, its success will depend on price. In South Korea, prices start at 2,740,000 won or around P1,080,000 (before taxes). Granted, it more than the Seagull, but still an affordable electric car nonetheless.
