[Test Drive] Casper Electric: a small, yet full package

The Casper Electric, Hyundai Motor’s newest all-electric sub-compact sport utility vehicle, might look unassuming but it wins consumers' hearts with a big surprise inside.

The Korea Herald got to check out the EV model of the Casper, known as the Inster in overseas markets, in a test drive in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday.

The first impression of the EV was the distinguished adorableness featuring harmless-looking circular headlights with pixel-style eyebrows on the front side. The tininess and boxy exterior of the car added even more to its cuteness.

Measuring 3,825 millimeters in length, 1,610 mm in width and 1,575 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,580 mm, the Casper Electric added 180 mm to its wheelbase compared to the existing internal combustion engine model.

The extra length contributed 80 mm of legroom in the rear row, pleasantly surprising the reporter. Though it was still a tighter fit than other subcompact SUVs, it felt more spacious than the previous model.

Featuring a maximum driving range of up to 315 kilometers per charge, the battery was 79 percent charged at the beginning of the test drive as the cluster indicated that the remaining driving range was 254 km. After driving the EV for about 60 km at the electricity efficiency of 7.5 km per kilowatt-hour, the battery stood at 64 percent with the remaining driving range of 203 km. The government-approved integrated electricity efficiency of Casper Electric is 5.6 km per kWh.

The Casper Electric is equipped with LG Energy Solution’s 49 kWh nickel, cobalt and manganese -- or NCM -- battery, which can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 30 minutes using a 120 kW-class charger.

The overall riding experience was satisfactory given that it is far from the most powerful EV in the market. Under the sports driving mode, the Casper Electric’s acceleration became quicker and stronger for those who enjoy a more vigorous ride. There were four different levels of regenerative braking force and the second level made a smooth drive.

The test drive included a hands-on experience of the EV’s Pedal Misapplication Safety Assist, or PMSA -- Hyundai Motor Group’s new technology that can take over the control of the vehicle’s immediately stops the car when the driver floors the acceleration pedal suddenly from a standstill if there is an obstacle within one meter away from either the front or rear side of the car.

With the reporter sitting in the passenger seat of the Casper Electric, a Hyundai Motor instructor demonstrated how PMSA works. An inflated tube was placed within one meter in front of the vehicle, the driver pushed down the acceleration pedal. The vehicle, which began sudden acceleration, stopped moving instantly as the cluster on the dashboard popped up a warning message to lift the foot off the acceleration pedal and place it on the brake pedal, preventing a possible clash from sudden acceleration. The vehicle’s acceleration differed greatly from the launch control start of high-performance EVs.

The price of the Casper Electric begins at 31.49 million won ($23,569). The EV will be launched in the global market, including Europe and Japan, next year.