Hyundai has switched on the electric version of its futuristic van. The Hyundai Staria Load Electric is on sale now from $70,990 plus on-road costs, giving tradies and fleets a one-tonne electric van with a genuinely long range.
What you get for $70,990
An 84kWh battery feeds a single 160kW, 350Nm front motor, and Hyundai claims 450km of WLTP range, well clear of most electric vans on sale here. Payload is a healthy 1,005kg, cargo volume is 4.9 cubic metres, and it will tow a 2,000kg braked trailer. Charging runs to 11kW AC and up to about 230kW on DC, enough for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in roughly 20 minutes. A full-size spare is standard, and servicing is pegged at 30,000km or 24 month intervals for around $650 a visit.
Cartell Assessment
The price is the sticking point. At $70,990 plus on-roads the Staria Load Electric sits well above a diesel Staria Load, and Hyundai is asking a clear premium for the electric drivetrain. But the range and DC charging speed are class-leading, so operators doing predictable metro runs can make the sums work on fuel and servicing alone.
AU Outlook
The electric van class is filling out fast. The Ford Transit E-Transit Custom and Kia's PV5, at about $56,000 plus on-road costs, undercut it on price, so Hyundai is betting buyers will pay more for range. Expect sharper drive-away offers once the rivals arrive in volume.
