Hyundai Launches Battery-as-a-Service for Creta EV, Price Starts at ₹10.99 Lakh

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has rolled out a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) option for its freshly launched Creta Electric. The move lets buyers pay a lower upfront price, starting at ₹10.99 lakh (ex-showroom), by separating the battery cost from the car. Customers then pay a monthly fee for battery use.

The BaaS plan covers the 42 kWh battery pack. Standard Creta Electric prices begin at ₹12.49 lakh for the same variant. So the scheme shaves off about ₹1.5 lakh from the initial outlay. The monthly battery rental charge stands at ₹3,499 for the first three years. After that, the rate drops to ₹2,999 per month.

Hyundai says the service is meant to lower the entry barrier for electric car buyers. Many Indian buyers still balk at the high sticker price of EVs, even though running costs are lower. By splitting the battery cost, HMIL hopes to pull in more customers who might otherwise choose a petrol or diesel SUV.

The Creta Electric is the company's second mass-market EV in India, after the Kona Electric. It comes in two battery options, 42 kWh and 51 kWh, with claimed ranges of 390 km and 473 km, respectively. The BaaS model is currently limited to the smaller battery pack.

Battery-as-a-Service is not new globally, but it is still rare in India. A few other automakers, including some two-wheeler EV brands, have tried similar plans. The model shifts the risk of battery degradation and replacement from the buyer to the company. Hyundai says it will handle battery health monitoring and replacement under the service.

Critics point out that the monthly fee adds up over time. A buyer who keeps the car for five years would pay roughly ₹1.9 lakh in battery rentals, more than the upfront saving. But for buyers who plan to upgrade to a new EV in three or four years, the math can work in their favour.

HMIL has not yet said whether the BaaS option will extend to the larger 51 kWh battery. The company also hasn't disclosed how many Creta Electric bookings it has received since the model's launch earlier this month. Industry analysts expect the Creta Electric to be a strong seller, given the popularity of the petrol Creta, India's best-selling midsize SUV.

The Creta Electric with BaaS is available for booking now across Hyundai's dealership network. Deliveries are expected to begin in the coming weeks.