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Hyundai Sub-4-Metre EV, the HE1i, Caught Charging in Vijayawada

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Hyundai's HE1i, a compact electric SUV set to slot below Creta Electric, has been spotted charging in Vijayawada and road testing with two headlamp designs.

Hyundai's next electric SUV, developed under the internal name HE1i, has surfaced in two fresh sets of spy photographs from India, one showing a prototype plugged in at a charging station in Vijayawada and another captured during road testing. The sub-4-metre model is expected to sit beneath the Creta Electric in Hyundai's line-up and will roll off the company's assembly line at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

The charging-station photos came from Dr. Md. Iftequar Ali, who documented the vehicle at the Hyundai Maya Autobahn Station in Vijayawada. Separately, a running test mule was photographed by a Reddit user posting as u/lightnextnow. Together, the sightings offer the clearest look yet at the car's lighting, wheels and overall shape.

The 120 kW charging question

Ali reported that the Hyundai team on site asked whether a 120 kW charging connector was available at the Vijayawada location. That figure is notable because the Creta Electric currently on sale in India tops out at 100 kW for DC fast charging. The station itself lists two DC units, one rated at 180 kW and one at 120 kW, each fitted with a pair of CCS-2 connectors.

The enquiry alone does not confirm how quickly the HE1i can actually charge. A car can be connected to a charger rated well above its own limit while still pulling a lower current, so neither the station's ceiling nor the team's question settles the matter. Hyundai has not published any charging figures for the model. The choice of location is telling for another reason: the company is steadily widening its fast-charging footprint across India as it prepares to bring out more electric vehicles.

Two headlamp layouts under test

Comparing the two prototypes side by side points to a difference that may separate one variant from another. On the car photographed at the charger, the lower section of the headlamp housing holds thin horizontal lighting elements, partly hidden behind a mesh cover. The road-going mule instead shows a bigger projector-type unit sitting in the same spot.

Both cars carry a matching slim strip of lighting along the top, which signals a split-headlamp design. The gap between the two lower setups suggests Hyundai is trialling more than one lighting specification, likely to be spread across different trim levels.

Boxy stance and geometric wheels

The styling reads as tall and practical. Each prototype wears an upright cabin, generous glass and a mostly flat roof. Geometric dual-tone alloy wheels appear on both, and the road-testing example also reveals roof rails along with small horizontal tail lamps peeking through gaps in the wrap.

Thick fabric camouflage still hides the bumpers, doors and tailgate, but the proportions make the intent plain: a compact SUV squeezing a roomy interior into a footprint under four metres.

Earlier glimpses of the cabin have pointed to a large central touchscreen paired with a narrow instrument display for the driver. Hyundai has already said its coming compact EV will bring next-generation infotainment and Level 2 driver-assistance features, with Pleos Connect expected to be part of the package.

Platform, battery and launch timing

The HE1i is understood to ride on Hyundai's E-GMP (K) architecture and shares ties with the globally sold Inster. That car is offered abroad with 42 kWh and 49 kWh battery choices, though Hyundai has not said whether either will make it into the Indian version. Certified range and charging times are still to be revealed.

How the car is priced will lean heavily on local production. Hyundai's battery plans reportedly include a later switch to locally built Exide cells. The full features list and the spread of variants have not been confirmed.

Hyundai is expected to unveil the compact EV by the close of 2026, with the market launch lined up for the Bharat Mobility Auto Expo 2027 in February. Together with the upcoming Bayon, the HE1i is set to broaden Hyundai's SUV range and give electric-car shoppers a smaller, more affordable option than the Creta Electric.

Hyundai HE1i, Hyundai electric SUV, sub-4-metre EV, Creta Electric, Auto Expo 2027, E-GMP platform, Hyundai Inster, compact electric SUV India

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