Hyundai opens orders for its new electric van, starting at about $66,500

Hyundai has opened orders in Europe for its new electric van, the Staria Electric, with prices in Germany starting at €57,450 (about $66,500) for a nine-seat base model. Leases start at €489 (about $570) a month. Higher trims go up to about $77,800 and add features like electric sliding doors, a premium sound system, heated and ventilated second-row seats, and multicolor interior lighting.

The van seats up to nine, runs on an 84 kWh battery paired with a 218-horsepower motor, and gets an estimated 267 miles of range. It can fast-charge from 10% to 80% in about 20 minutes. It also supports vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, meaning it can act as a portable power source — useful for running tools, a coffee maker, or other equipment off the vehicle's battery, similar to a generator.

This is mainly a heads-up for people who like keeping tabs on new EV technology rather than a car you'll be able to buy soon. Hyundai isn't offering this van, or its new small IONIQ 3 electric car, in the United States, and doesn't currently sell the gas version of this van here either. If you're in the US and interested in Hyundai's electric lineup, the three-row IONIQ 9 and the smaller IONIQ 5 remain the options actually sold here.