Thanks for joining us this Tuesday June 11th 2024. Notably in car news today: Hyundai has confirmed the name of its new subcompact EV will be Inster, and MG Australia has opened order books for its $100K+ electric sports car, the Cyberster.
Browse this issue:
- Hyundai teases affordable new EV – the ‘Inster’
- MG Cyberster orders open, price still unconfirmed
- Citroen to drop small and large cars: report
- Lotus Emeya can charge faster than a Porsche Taycan
- Reviewed: 2024 Polestar 3
Hyundai teases affordable new EV – the ‘Inster’
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Hyundai has confirmed the name and teased the reveal of its new “sub-compact” city EV, the ‘Inster’, which is expected to make its way to Australian showrooms.
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The new model, which is widely expected to be the brand’s most affordable electric car, will target a maximum range of 355km WLTP.
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Teaser images released by the Korean automaker reveal a compact SUV profile, LED daytime running lights, and the brand’s signature pixelated lighting motifs, common to other Hyundai EVs.
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Based on the petrol-powered Casper small car currently on sale in Korea, the electric Inster – to be unveiled in full at the end of the month at the Busan International Mobility Show – will be Hyundai’s newcomer to compete with affordable Chinese EVs such as the MG4 and BYD Dolphin.
READ: Extended coverage on the Hyundai Inster
MG Cyberster orders open in Australia, to be priced between $100K-$150K
The MG Cyberster will be here soon, but it won’t be cheap!
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MG Australia has already begun to take orders for its highly-anticipated Cyberster electric sports car in Australia, with first deliveries to take place in the fourth quarter of this year.
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The brand says pricing will sit between $100,000 and $150,000 before on-road costs, though an exact price has not yet been confirmed.
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Australia will get the 77kWh (74.4kWh usable) battery pack in all-wheel-drive guise and will produce 375kW/725Nm thanks to two electric motors.
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For our local market, the Cyberster will be available in five colours, with the choice of a black or red convertible fabric roof. A black and red or white and grey interior colour choice will also be available.
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MG has previously told Chasing Cars that the new Cyberster will only be brought to Australia in limited numbers.
Citroen to drop small and large cars, including C5 X wagon
Chasing Cars ran a Citroen C5 X long-termer throughout 2022
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Citroen is set to remove several models from its global lineup, including the C5 X wagon and the C1.
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According to reports by Autocar, Citroen’s chief executive officer Thierry Koskas told the outlet that the brand “needs to be in the main segments, not niche segments”.
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Instead, the brand is likely to instead focus, unsurprisingly, on the SUV market with models including the C5 Aircross, as well as the smaller B-segment C3 and the mini-sized Ami, which as of 2022 has sold 23,000 units in Europe.
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Autocar also reports that Citroen will stay within the B and C segments globally, and will introduce “new shapes that do not exist” on future models.
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Chasing Cars has reached out to Citroen Australia regarding the matter and whether or not the C5X, in particular, will continue to be sold in Australia.
New Lotus Emeya can charge faster than a Porsche Taycan
The Lotus Emeya can charge seriously fast!
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Lotus Cars has reported that its upcoming GT flagship electric car, the Emeya, can charge faster than a Porsche Taycan, a model that is one of the benchmarks for electric charging in the industry.
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As part of the 2023 P3 Charging Test for Asia, the new Lotus claims that the Emeya charged to 10 to 80 percent in just 14 minutes at a maximum charge rate of 402kW. The facelifted Porsche Taycan, however, can manage a peak electric rate of 320kW.
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The Emeya uses a 102kWh (100kWh usable) battery pack and features all-wheel electric drive to produce as much as 675kW/985Nm.
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Unlike traditional Lotus models, which have been built in the United Kingdom, the Emeya is built in Wuhan, China, as part of the Geely Group, a company which also owns Volvo Cars and Polestar.
Polestar 3 reviewed
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Chasing Cars editor Tom Baker’s review of the 2024 Polestar 3 was published, including his thoughts on the new $130K electric SUV.
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Positive findings in Baker’s review include slick levels of performance, fun handling, smooth ride at speed and excellent seat comfort.
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Some of the areas Baker thought could be improved included its thirst for electricity, limited real-world range, its five-seat-only format and average boot space.
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In his conclusion, Baker noted that although the model is far from affordable, it’s a strong performer, has dynamic driving character and compares favourably to the likes of the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, which is in a very similar price bracket.
READ: Link to written review
The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Wednesday 12th June at 4.30pm Sydney time.
