Sales of Hyundai’s Ioniq V – the Korean carmaker’s new China only electric car – have started, costing from an incredible £14,000. 

The sleek 1970s-inspired saloon was one of our standout highlights of this year’s Beijing motor show, and like with Audi’s China-only cars we were left feeling a bit sad that the cars aren’t coming to Europe. 

Confusingly, Hyundai has launched Ioniq as a standalone brand in China, whereas in Europe it’s just used to make the names of the cars longer. 

Technically the sales launch isn’t until September, says Hyundai, but orders have opened early as a special treat for visitors to the Chengdu motor show this week. 

There are Standard, Smart Driving and Long Range versions of the car available, starting at 119,900 yuan (£14,000) and rising to 139,900 yuan (£15,250). 

There are 188hp and 225hp powertrains on offer, along with two battery sizes – 53.5kWh and 66.8kWh. Range on the generously calculated Chinese market CLTC procedure is up to 404 miles (650km). There are shorter ranges but those are less interesting. 

Inside, the sleek interior is somewhat dominated by a panoramic 27in 4K screen that stretches across the dashboard like a dozing cat on a warm day. 

The car doesn’t look much like any other Hyundai we’ve got on sale round our parts, but then of course it’s not a Hyundai and it’s coming round these parts, which brings a certain amount of design freedom. 

It doesn’t seem likely the Ioniq sub-brand will spread, but Hyundai executives have given some hope that the Chinese-developed Ioniq models could one day find their way out of the country, but it’ll be looked at on a case by case basis depending on the popularity of the cars.