The Hyundai Inster is a cool little electric car, so of course it won’t be released in the US

Meet the Hyundai Inster, the latest cute little electric car that’s being cruelly denied a North American debut. This electric subcompact has a range of over 200 miles, an almost retro-inspired interior design (think lots of plastic and chunky buttons), and an adorable face that won’t be hitting American roads anytime soon.

Oh, and did I mention it will be very affordable? Automotive News reports that the Inster will be priced under $26,000. So not only is Hyundai entering the battle for affordable electric vehicles, it’s doing so at an extreme distance from the United States, which is in dire need of affordable electric vehicles.

The Kia EV3 from Hyundai’s sister company is expected to arrive in 2025, along with a few other affordable electric vehicles. But Inster will not be part of it. Like the Honda e before it, it’s too small a vehicle for America’s truck-shaped digestive system.

The Inster will first launch in Korea this summer, followed by Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. I don’t see New Jersey anywhere on that list. Very disappointing.

This small crossover is bigger than a Hyundai Elantra but smaller than a Mitsubishi Mirage. It can travel 300 km of range with its 42 kWh battery, or 355 km with its longer-range 49 kWh battery. A single electric motor can produce 95 horsepower in the base version and 113 horsepower in the Long Range model. Both variants have 108 pound-feet of torque.

Inside, there are of course screens, but also physical controls that we don’t usually see in a modern car, and even less so in an electric car. There is a 10.3-inch instrument cluster and an equally sized central touchscreen. And there are plenty of creature comforts, like a wireless charger and a heated steering wheel.

But alas, it’s the people of South Korea and those lucky enough to live in luckier places who will be keeping their fingers warm behind the wheel of the Hyundai Inster — not mine.