Hyundai has introduced its smallest EV globally - the Inster, revealed at the 2024 Busan International Mobility Show. Essentially the fully-electric version of the Casper micro-SUV sold in Korea, the Inster will make its way to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, apart from the carmaker’s home country. While there is no word from Hyundai about Inster’s India launch, its size and positioning is quite similar to the Tata Punch EV and Citroen eC3 sold here. Here’s a detailed spec comparison between the three EVs to see how the three would fare against each other on paper.
Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: dimensions
| Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: dimensions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | Hyundai Inster | Tata Punch EV | Citroen eC3 |
| Length | 3825mm | 3857mm | 3981mm |
| Width | 1610mm | 1742mm | 1733mm |
| Height | 1575mm | 1633mm | 1604mm |
| Wheelbase | 2580mm | 2445mm | 2540mm |
| Boot space | 280 litres | 366 litres | 315 litres |
| Tyre size | 205/45 R17 | 195/60 R16 | 195/65 R15 |
With a length of 3,981mm, the eC3 is the longest out of the three EVs, while the Tata Punch EV is the tallest one at 1,742mm. The Inster's 2,580mm wheelbase is the longest, while the Punch EV has the highest amount of boot space on offer. The Inster gets up to 17-inch wheels, while the Punch EV and Citroen eC3 get 16- and 15-inchers respectively.
Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: powertrain, range, performance
| Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: powertrain, range, performance | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | Hyundai Inster | Tata Punch EV | Citroen eC3 |
| Motor | Single motor setup | Single motor setup | Single motor setup |
| Power | 97hp/115hp | 82hp/122hp | 57hp |
| Torque | 147Nm/147Nm | 114Nm/190Nm | 143Nm |
| Battery capacity | 42kWh/49kWh | 25kWh/35kWh | 29.2kWh |
| Range | TBA/355km | 315km/421km | 320km |
All three cars get a single electric motor setup. The Inster’s motor produces 97hp in the base trim, and 115hp in the Long-Range version. The one on the Punch EV puts out 82hp on the Mid-Range variants, and 122hp in Long-Range variants. Citroen’s eC3 puts out 57hp and 143Nm, making it the least powerful EV here.
Hyunda is offering the Inster with two battery packs – 42kWh and 49kWh. The larger battery pack offers a claimed range of up to 355km (WLTP) when specced with the smaller 15-inch wheels. In contrast, the Punch can be had with either a 25kWh or a 35kWh battery with an MIDC certified range of 315km and 421km respectively. The Citroen eC3 gets a sole 29.2kWh battery pack offering a 320km on a single charge.
Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: charging time
| Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: charging time | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | Hyunda Inster | Tata Punch EV | Citroen eC3 |
| 10-80% (DC fast charging) | 30 mins | 56 mins | 57 mins |
| 10-100% (15A/16A wall charger) | 4 hours (standard), 4 hours 35 mins (LR) | 9.4 hours (MR)/13.5 hours (LR) | 10.5 hours |
Hyundai says that the Inster can be charged up from 10-80% in just 30 minutes with a 120kW DC fast charger. A standard 16A AC charger would fully juice the battery up in 4 hours for the standard model and 4 hours and 35 minutes for the Long-Range version.
In comparison, the Tata Punch EV’s battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in 56 minutes with the help of a 50kW DC fast charger. A regular 15A charger will take 9.4 hours to charge the Punch EV Mid-Range from 10-100%, and 13.5 hours for the Punch Long-Range. With a DC fast charger, the eC3 can be charged from 10% to 80% in 57 minutes, while a regular 15A charger will take 10 hours and 30 minutes to charge it from 10-100%.
The Inster also offers external and internal Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality which can be used to charge up bigger devices or use appliances – something that the other two EVs miss out on. Hyundai is also offering ADAS safety tech on the Inster abroad, which neither of the eC3 and Punch EV offer in India.
Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: price
| Hyundai Inster vs Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: price | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | Hyundai Inster | Tata Punch EV | Citroen eC3 |
| Ex-showroom price | TBA | Rs 10.9 lakh-15.49 lakh | Rs 11.61 lakh-13.41 lakh |
Pricing for the Hyundai Inster is yet to be announced. The Tata Punch EV is currently priced from Rs 10.99 lakh to Rs 13.79 lakh for the MR trims, and Rs 12.99 lakh to Rs 15.49 lakh for the Long-Range version. Pricing for the Citroen eC3 in India starts from Rs 11.61 lakh and goes up to Rs 13.41 lakh.
All prices, ex-showroom India
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