6 days ago
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Hyundai's smallest electric car is set to be cheaper than forecast – thanks to leaked pricing from a TV competition – but the most affordable version may still start from $40,000 drive-away.
Electric Cars
The 2025 Hyundai Inster electric car could start from about $40,000 drive-away in its most affordable form, after the new electric car's price was leaked as part of a TV competition spotted by Whirlpool forum members.
The Inster Extended Range variant has been valued at $42,794 drive-away in the terms and conditions of a competition on The Big Trip, a new TV show on Channel Seven, which will offer the small Hyundai as a prize.
The drive-away price is quoted as "based on registration of the vehicle in NSW," where on-road costs are typically close to the national average – with the ACT usually the cheapest, and WA the most expensive.
It would make the Inster one of the most affordable electric cars in Australia, but more expensive from rivals from MG, BYD and GWM, some of which start from less than $35,000 drive-away in their cheapest forms.
The lack of a Premium designation in the terms and conditions suggests the variant in the competition is a middle-of-the-range model, with the base equipment level but a larger battery pack.
Hyundai is yet to confirm the drive-away price – which for customers will vary based on the state and territory of registration – but it would point to a much sharper sticker price for the Inster than initially expected.
Drive has previously reported a target starting price for the most affordable Inster – a Standard Range version with less equipment – of about $40,000 plus on-road costs, which would equate to about $43,000 drive-away.
The competition price suggests that instead of the Standard Range, it will be the Extended Range that will carry a circa-$40,000 RRP before on-road costs.
Working backwards, and using other Hyundai electric cars as a guide, an entry-level Standard Range with a smaller battery could start closer to $37,000 plus on-road costs, or about $40,000 drive-away.
Meanwhile, a flagship Premium Extended Range model with a longer list of standard features may start closer to $45,000 drive-away.
The Standard Range model would line up against competition from MG, BYD and GWM as one of the country's cheapest electric cars.
BYD Dolphin prices start from $39,151 drive-away in NSW – excluding special offers – while the Nissan Leaf is in run-out for $39,990 drive-away.
The Hyundai Inster is similar in length to the Getz of the late 2000s – but with a narrower body and taller, SUV-like roofline – and is due in local showrooms in February 2025.
The Standard Range uses a 71kW/147Nm electric motor and 42kWh battery rated for 303km to 327km of driving range in European WLTP testing, depending on the alloy wheel size.
Meanwhile, the Extended Range – or Long Range, as it is marketed overseas – upgrades to an 85kW/147Nm motor and 49kWh battery rated for 360-370km of WLTP range.
Electric Cars Guide
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
