Hyundai Motor plans to bring its Casper EV (Electric Vehicle) to Japan by 2025, as the company looks to extend its presence in the Japanese market.
According to a senior Hyundai Motor official, the Casper EV will be manufactured at the Gwangju Global Motors (GGM) plant starting July next year. The Casper EV production facility construction has already begun last month.
The car is set to be called Casper Electric for local sales, and it is to be launched in the second half of next year. It is expected to be released for sale in Japan during the first half of 2025.
Although the Casper is classified as a light car in Korea, it is considered a compact car in Japan due to its size and displacement standards. Hyundai Motor President Chang Jae-hoon confirmed in a recent interview with Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun that they plan to launch a compact EV in Japan in 2025.
The Casper EV will be built on the same internal combustion engine (ICE) platform as the Kia Ray EV. It will use BorgWarner’s integrated drive module (iDM) specifically designed for the A-segment (the smallest vehicles on the market, often with two or four doors and designed for city driving and commuting). The Casper EV will also be equipped with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, expected to provide a combined range of 200 to 300 kilometers.
Hyundai Motors initially designed the Casper EV for use within the domestic market. However, due to the growing global demand for affordable and practical small electric vehicles, the company has decided to export it. The Casper EV is expected to be particularly popular in Europe and Japan, where people prefer smaller cars. Hyundai Motors intends to introduce the Casper EV to Europe before Japan.
Hyundai Motor made a comeback in Japan last year with the Ioniq 5 and Nexo, after leaving the market in 2009. These cars were awarded the Car of the Year in Japan, which is known for being conservative towards imported brands. Recently, the company launched the Kona Electric in Japan as well.
However, Hyundai Motor’s sales in Japan have not reached a satisfactory level. While the current products are highly desirable, they are too large to fit into Japanese parking lots and roads. “Hyundai could attract more attention if it sold a slightly smaller electric car,” said Goro Okazaki, a Japanese automotive journalist.
This article was originally published on Dec. 5, 2023.
