Hyundai’s wild pint-sized EV concept is inspired by video games

Hyundai’s fun-sized Inster has received a wild concept car makeover.

Called the Insteroid – a portmanteau of Inster and Steroid – the concept will make its in-person debut in early April.

In the meantime however, Hyundai has shown off some teaser images of the vehicle – which looks like the cute Inster has received a shot of adrenaline. Or, well, some steroids.

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This is evident in the enormous rear wing and diffuser, plus the flared guards. The Insteroid appears to have a much wider track than the Inster, and under the vented front wheel arches sit 21-inch wheels.

Hyundai is calling the Insteroid a “thrilling glitch in the automotive matrix”, with aesthetics inspired by video games.

It also says it’s designed to “boost the emotional experience of electric cars” – something the company has already done with production vehicles like the Ioniq 5 N, which feature artificial exhaust sounds that can be played via external speakers, as well as simulated gearshifts and seemingly endless drive mode customisation.

Hyundai hasn’t specified power outputs for the Insteroid, though we’d expect a bump over the standard Inster which has up to 84.5kW of power.

This isn’t the first time Hyundai has built a wilder concept derived from – or at least resembling – the Inster.

Last year, it revealed the RN24 ‘rolling lab’ concept that resembled a stripped-out Inster, but on a longer wheelbase and using the Ioniq 5 N’s 84kWh battery and dual electric motor setup.