Hyundai’s Staria Load is having an electrifying year, launching a hybrid powertrain in July and an EV just last week on a media drive that took in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, north of Sydney, loaded up with a palette of sandbags weighing 375kg from the local nursery to simulate a delivery load.

First thing I notice is the mesh cargo barrier behind me.

The latest model brings the line-up to four variants with a choice of turbo-diesel, hybrid and electric powertrains, all front-wheel-drive, and each with a two-seat configuration, the same 4935-litre cargo capacity and either liftback or twin swing rear doors.

For those who like to measure things — and van buyers generally do — the cargo area is 2607mm long, 1640mm wide and 1436mm high.

Oh, the electric also gets a 23.9-litre frunk under the bonnet — and all get a five-year subscription to Bluelink connected car services.

Realistically, Hyundai Australia says it’s looking at 30 per cent diesel take-up, 50 per cent hybrid and 15-20 per cent electric across the range in a segment where it’s currently sitting on an 11.4 per cent market share — and no match for the Toyota HiAce on 52.1 per cent.

Payload stacks up with 1005kg, which is marginally more than the diesel (997kg), though the hybrid still leads at 1039kg. Braked towing capacity is 2000kg (the diesel is 2500kg).

It’s all about making harder easier.

As for range anxiety on the delivery round, Hyundai claims 450km WLTP between charges — calculated with a 28 per cent payload.

But a few kilometres down the road, the numbers on the instrument cluster show 475km range on a 97 per cent charge.

Fully laden, Hyundai estimates a 50km reduction in range, largely due to aerodynamics — so towing would have a greater effect than payload.

Then again, a van was never going to slip through the air like a Porsche.

It has the same 84kWh lithium-ion battery as the Ioniq 5, using Hyundai’s 800-volt electrical system which supports ultra-fast charging.

So you’re looking at 10-80 per cent in about 20 minutes at 350kW — though, realistically, the max charge rate is closer to 260kW.

Outputs are 160kW of power, with peak torque of 350Nm from zero rpm.

That’s a fair amount of muscle for carrying parcels.

There’s also a 240V, 16A vehicle-to-load (V2L) outlet in the cargo area, which lets you power tools, equipment and other devices with a three-pin plug while on the move or at a work site, plus some clever thermal management behind the scenes, including a battery heating system to optimise performance and charging efficiency when it’s cold, as well as a heat pump that helps keep the cabin warm while conserving energy.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, it feels and looks like a car, with buttons and dials for things you need, Hyundai’s latest 12.3-inch multimedia display and 12.3-inch instrument cluster with satellite navigation, a wireless charging pad, column-mounted shifter and, for us who travel fully laden, an open centre console that’s large enough to swallow a backpack.

While diesel and hybrid variants carry a five-star ANCAP safety score, based on testing of the related Staria people mover in 2021, the electric has yet to be rated, but it comes with seven airbags and key driver assistance and active safety technologies, including Hyundai’s Lane Following Assist 2 — though only the hybrid Premium gets a surround-view monitor, which I’d like to have because you can’t see out the sides.

Honestly, it drives better than some SUVs — and has Eco, Normal, Sport and Snow modes because, apparently, even a delivery van needs to be prepared for a quick getaway to the ski fields.

Steering is easy, with an 11.96m turning circle — which isn’t as good as the Toyota Hiace (11m) — and rear suspension has been redesigned and adjusted to minimise road noise. Tyres are Nexen Rodian and a full-size steel spare wheel is included.

You can adjust regenerative braking, so I prefer to keep it in iPedal.

Stated energy consumption is 20.7kWh/100km. My van uses 19.5kWh/100km, with me swapping between drive modes on a morning, but a diehard colleague is excited he gets 16.9kWh/100km . . . no, wait, 17kWh/100km hypermiling in Eco.

Scheduled services are at 24 months/30,000km and 48 months/60,000km, costing $686 and $708 respectively.

RRP pricing, excluding on-road costs

+ Staria Load 2.2 CRDi Liftback/Twin Swing: $49,990

+ Staria Load Hybrid 1.6 T-GDi HEV Liftback/Twin Swing: $53,490

+ Staria Load Premium Hybrid Liftback 1.6 T-GDi HEV: $61,240

+ Staria Load Electric Liftback/Twin Swing: $70,990