Hyundai is preparing to enter India’s high-volume compact electric SUV segment with its first purpose-built, India-focused sub-four-metre EV. The model is scheduled to debut around January 2027 and will offer 42 kWh and 49 kWh battery options delivering an expected range of 300–400 km.
Codenamed HE1i internally, the upcoming SUV is being developed specifically for Indian conditions and buyers rather than adapted from an existing global or internal-combustion platform. It will use Hyundai’s E-GMP (K) architecture—the same skateboard platform that underpins the Inster EV sold in other markets—and will be manufactured at the company’s Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu.
The dual battery configuration mirrors the global Inster’s setup (42 kWh standard and 49 kWh long-range packs). On the international model these deliver claimed WLTP ranges of up to roughly 300 km and 355 km respectively; the India-spec vehicle is expected to target a practical 300–400 km window, with final certified figures (likely under MIDC or equivalent testing) still to be confirmed.
Hyundai has positioned the vehicle as a volume-oriented offering below the Creta Electric. Spy images and testing activity show a boxy, tall-boy silhouette designed to maximise cabin space within the sub-4-metre length limit that attracts lower taxation in India. Expected features include Level 2 ADAS, Hyundai’s newer Pleos Connect infotainment system, and a high degree of localisation aimed at competitive pricing against established rivals such as the Tata Punch EV, Tata Nexon EV, and other compact electric SUVs.
The January 2027 timing reflects a modest shift from earlier indications of a late-2026 or March 2027 launch. The model forms part of Hyundai’s broader plan to introduce 26 new vehicles in India by 2030 and represents the company’s first fully dedicated electric SUV engineered with the Indian market as the primary focus.
As testing continues and production preparations advance at Sriperumbudur, further details on exact power outputs, pricing, and final feature lists are expected closer to the official reveal. The vehicle is widely anticipated to intensify competition in India’s rapidly growing mass-market EV segment.