Head to the busy streets of Seoul, South Korea and the Hyundai Staria rules the roads. It is the people carrier of choice for high-end taxi firms ferrying executives, airport VIPs and anyone who wants to kick back in style, rather than deal with the choking rush hour traffic.
Now the spaceship-on-wheels is about to get even more interesting. Fresh from a light facelift, the Staria is also preparing to step beyond its home market with a fully electric version that’s due to arrive in Europe later this year. And Hyundai, clearly feeling confident, has decided to show just how far the platform can be pushed.
Unveiled at the CMT (Caravan, Motor und Touristik) show in Stuttgart, the Staria Camper Concept takes the humble MPV and drags it firmly into the world of hashtag lifestyle vehicles — without sacrificing the plushness that made the original so appealing.
“The Staria Camper Concept exists because interest in electric mobility and experience-led travel is growing rapidly”
This is not a stripped-out camper van with a mattress thrown in the back. Instead, Hyundai has gone all-in on luxury, with a fully integrated, powered pop-up roof that allows occupants to stand upright inside the cabin. A small thing, perhaps, but anyone who has tried to change clothes hunched over in a van will understand just how transformative this is.
With the roof raised, the Staria Camper reveals a neatly packaged kitchen setup complete with fridge, sink and cooking hobs, turning remote campsites into legitimate dinner spots. Lighting, heating and general cabin management are handled via a portable tablet, which docks neatly into a bespoke wall-mounted cradle when not in use.
All of this energy-sapping kit naturally raises questions about EV range, but Hyundai claims the underlying all-electric Staria — complete with 800V fast-charging architecture — is good for around 250 miles. That’s before you factor in the solar panel integrated into the pop-up roof.
Rated at 520W, the lightweight composite panel is said to generate up to 2.6kWh of energy per day, assuming a healthy five hours of sunshine. That power can either be fed back into the vehicle to gently top up the battery or diverted to run onboard systems such as lighting, refrigeration and temperature control.
Sleeping arrangements are equally civilised. The leather-clad rear seats fold flat to form a proper double bed, while an integrated shower setup at the back allows occupants to freshen up without having to hunt down campsite facilities. Water is stored in an onboard tank and heated electrically, either using energy from the main battery or — if you’re patient — via solar input.
“Solar power can either be fed back into the vehicle to gently top up the battery or diverted to run onboard systems”
According to Hyundai, the Staria Camper Concept exists because interest in electric mobility and experience-led travel is growing rapidly across Europe. Buyers, it says, want vehicles that work during the week but can also disappear off-grid at the weekend without drama.
It’s a compelling argument, and one that helps make the case for MPVs, people carriers and van-based EVs in an increasingly SUV-saturated market. Models like Kia’s PV5 suggest the industry is finally rediscovering the benefits of space, flexibility and comfort — without needing to package it up in a soft-roader.
For now, the Staria Camper remains a concept, with no firm production plans in place. Hyundai says it’s gauging public interest before making a decision, but if the response is strong enough, this could very easily make the leap from show stand to campsite.
If it does, consider us first in the queue.
