Though not with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain as previously stated, the Hyundai Staria may eventually go tailpipe emission free. A fresh report says that in 2026, a battery-electric form will be available.
The Staria’s look may be futuristic, but its propulsion system isn’t nearly as sophisticated—it still runs on gasoline, diesel, or LPG. The Korea Economic Daily has reported that Hyundai plans to address this by introducing a fully electric powertrain option in 2026. In order to comply with Europe’s stricter environmental standards, the business is creating the Staria EV.
Hyundai uses Ulsan Plant No. 4 in South Korea to construct the Staria. There, the company has begun to extend the line for installing high-voltage batteries. It intends to use the same fourth-generation battery pack that was initially fitted in the Ioniq 5 N in 2023 for the Staria EV. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy’s testing protocol, this 84 kWh lithium-ion NCM unit will have a range of up to 324 km (MOTIE).
Range according to WLTP in Europe is typically substantially higher than MOTIE’s. For instance, the WLTP range of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is 448 km, despite its official MOTIE range of 351 km. As a result, the Hyundai Staria EV’s WLTP range is probably going to be greater—possibly over 400 kilometers. As little as 20 minutes will be needed for a 10-80% charging session because of the high working voltage of 800 volts. According to the Korean version of the report, a 160 kW motor positioned on the front axle will power the prospective VW ID Buzz competitor.
The electric vehicle is intended for European markets, as was already indicated. As stated in the article, Hyundai anticipates a spike in electric van sales in Europe following the adoption of the Euro 7 emission regulations by the European Union.
By June 2026, Hyundai Staria EV will be going into series production in Europe. Hyundai also intends to introduce the Staria EV in Thailand and Australia. The company’s goal for the future electric MPV is to sell between 15,000 and 20,000 units annually. Since the recently introduced ST1 pure electric purpose-built vehicle is proving more expensive to construct than anticipated, Hyundai is eager to offer the Staria EV.
The article says that a Hyundai Staria Hybrid is planned in addition to an EV. By the end of 2025, the semi-electrified model will be released a little sooner. Still no word, meanwhile, on the arrival of the Hyundai Staria Fuel Cell, which was supposed to debut in April 2021.