The Hyundai Creta Electric, launched in January 2025, was arguably the most complete EV introduced last year. Combining refinement, solid brand value, and Hyundai’s signature tech stack, it had all the ingredients of a blockbuster. But the sales figures tell a different story.
According to FY26 sales data sourced from the industry, the Creta Electric languished at 12th position among EVs – unusual for the iconic ‘Creta’ nameplate, which has dominated the Indian SUV landscape since 2015.
Having tested the Creta Electric across Delhi/Gurgaon roads and even on the high-speed Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, we know that its engineering excellence is undeniable. In city traffic, it easily stretches to a real-world range of 400 km (an impressive efficiency of up to 8 km/kWh). On highways, where high-speed drag drains batteries faster, it still covers 350 km with an efficiency of up to 7 km/kWh.
The product was never the problem; price was – the Creta Electric was priced starting at Rs 17.99 lakh, going up to Rs 23.5 lakh (ex-showroom), and was quite expensive when compared even to bigger battery EVs such as Mahindra’s BE 6 that started at Rs 18.9 lakh for the 59-kWh variant.
Making EV ownership easier
A year and a half after its launch, Hyundai has recognised the entry price barrier, and has introduced Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) with the Creta Electric – lowering the entry price to Rs 10.99 lakh with a battery usage fee from Rs 3.9 per km, for the 42-kWh variant – alongside a 60% assured buyback programme up to three years.
By directly tackling initial price resistance and resale anxiety, Hyundai is attempting to infuse new life into the SUV. Whether these ownership schemes can reignite interest and pull the Creta Electric up from 12th spot to its rightful place at the top remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: great engineering alone is no longer enough in India’s price-sensitive EV market without accessible buying options to match.
