Hyundai Staria people-mover switches to EV power: Korean brand aims to head off the inbound Kia PV5 and latest Ford E-Transit Custom

January 20, 2026January 19, 2026 John Mahoney 245 Views 0 Comments Hyundai, Hyundai Staria EV revealed, staria ev

A new all-electric version of the 2026 Hyundai Staria people mover has been rolled out at the recent Brussels motor show that could pave the way for a zero-emission version Down Under.

Locked in for a launch in the right-hand drive UK market, the new Hyundai Staria EV is based on the facelifted version of the Korean people mover that is due in Australian showrooms later this year.

In Europe, the motivation behind the debut of the zero-emission version is the growing number of battery-powered people movers that will soon include the Kia PV5 and the upgraded Ford E-Transit Custom.

Miss the ‘Electric’ badging and the Staria Electric looks identical to the regular van with windows, but beneath the skin there is an 84kWh battery that is said to provide for a WLTP-verified range of up to 400km.

Driving the front wheels is a single e-motor that produces 160kW of power and 350Nm of torque, which allows it to top out at 184km/h and tow up to two tonnes.

No 0-100km/h time has been quoted but plug it in and the new minivan, that can seat up to nine and take just under 20 minutes for a 10 to 80 per cent refill of its battery, thanks to powerful 800-volt electrics.

AC top-ups are capped at 11kW, but Hyundai offers heated charging ports with the Staria that help top it up it in sub-zero temperatures.

Meanwhile, a handy vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability sees it power domestic electrical appliances.

Within, the Staria carries over the facelifted van’s upgraded cabin that combines a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument panel ahead of the driver with a 12.3-inch infotainment system that runs Hyundai’s latest ccNC operating system.

In Europe two versions of the Staria Electric people-mover will be available.

A Wagon version offers up to nine seats that still manages to package up 1303 litres of storage space behind the third row.

A second Luxury seven-seater is also offered that blends two captain chairs in the second row with a three-seat rear bench.

While the Wagon only has heated and ventilated front seats, the Luxury extends that to the second-row recliners and adds electric sliding doors and a powered tailgate.

But it can only home up to 435 litres of luggage behind the third row.

Whichever you choose, all versions ride on 17-inch alloy wheels and come with a digital key and a camera to monitor rear passengers. There’s even a handy microphone to allow the driver to communicate with rear passengers.

Safety kit includes lane keep assist, a 360-degree camera, auto park feature and adaptive cruise that works with traffic sign recognition.

Available in black pearl, white, blue pearl, silver metallic, grey pearl, brown pearl and yellow pearl hues, Hyundai says the exterior paint can be combined with many contrasting interior colour schemes.

On sale in continental Europe in the first half of 2026, there’s been no confirmation yet when right-hand drive models will arrive.

We also don’t know if there’s any intention to sell the EV version alongside the 200kW 3.5-litre V6 petrol or the 130kW 2.2-litre turbo-diesel all-wheel drive currently sold Down Under.