Photography: Shrenith Bhandary, Saidatta Naik
The Kia Carens Clavis EV is the car maker’s third EV in the Indian market, after the EV6 and EV9. But as a product, it is far more important and far more strategic for Kia India, as the Carens Clavis EV is Kia’s first mass market EV here. Then there’s the fact that the Carens Clavis EV (yes, that name is a pretty long one!) is also the first mass market EV in the country with three rows of seats, and is based on Kia’s hugely successful Carens MPV, which even won the prestigious ICOTY or Indian Car of the Year award in 2022. So, quite the name and quite the importance for the Indian market for this one, but does it have the potential to woo buyers, while building on the strengths of the Carens?
It’s also interesting to note that Kia has launched the EV barely months after launching the Carens Clavis, which also goes to show how serious the manufacturer is about the three-row MPV segment. This, is clearly besides Kia being keen on gaining first mover advantage as far as three-row EVs are concerned. The EV looks nearly identical to the Carens Clavis, as the headlamps look exactly the same, though the front bumper is different and integrates the charging port in the centre, along with a set of LED fog lamps. The bumper also integrates active flaps that channel air to the battery pack to help in cooling it on the go.
Unsurprisingly, the EV looks identical to the Carens Clavis from the sides too, with the only change being the different wheel design, with aero inserts. The story at the rear is the same, as well, as the EV uses the same tail lamp design with an LED strip connecting them from end to end, and overall, the similarity to the internal combustion engine powered versions should offer a sense of familiarity. All variants get roof rails, a roof spoiler and a shark fin antenna as standard, to add a sense of premiumness.
The sense of familiarity is carried over to the cabin as well, as the dashboard looks the same and you also get the same dual 12.5-inch displays and steering wheel with a flat top and bottom. The floating centre console helps in liberating more space as there is no gear lever, and the drive selector is a stalk on the steering wheel. The start/stop/power on switch is located on the stalk too and is nearly hidden under the steering wheel, which is a rather odd location. Seating remains unchanged too, meaning you get the same, plush and comfortable seats all round. As always, the second row is a highlight, especially given the vehicle’s positioning, and access to the third row is fantastic thanks to the one-touch tumble function for the second row. Third row seats can recline too, adding to comfort, in addition to the fact that the third row is reasonably spacious for adults to sit in for short drives.
Like every other Kia offering the Carens Clavis EV is also equipped a long list of features. In fact the feature list is similar to the Carens Clavis, meaning higher variants are equipped with ventilated front seats, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, besides regular stuff like wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and more. This being an EV, you also get a Vehicle to Load function that allows you to power other devices. You get a conveniently positioned plug point inside, on the floor, right behind the front armrest, making it easy for second row occupants to plug in devices like a laptop to charge. You can also use the vehicle’s charging port at the front to power external devices using a connector. Second row seats get a one-touch tumble function and the third-row seats can recline too, just like the Carens Clavis. The front passenger seat can also be moved and adjusted manually, just like in the Carens Clavis, to make more space in the second row. You also get the same air purifier with AQI display placed behind the driver’s seatback and a panoramic sunroof as well. These are besides Level 2 ADAS, with which integrates the usual list of features.
The Carens Clavis EV is on offer with two battery options, one is a 42kWh battery pack while the other is a bigger, 51.4kWh battery pack. Interestingly, these two are the same battery packs as the Hyundai Creta Electric, which makes for an air of familiarity as far as battery architecture goes. ARAI-certified range for the smaller battery on the Carens Clavis EV is 404km, and a more impressive 490km for the bigger one.
We only drove the version with the bigger battery, which powers a single electric motor that offers 170PS and 255Nm – this makes the EV the most powerful version of the Carens yet. Did someone ask for a really quick family vehicle? Because claimed 0-100kmph time for the Carens Clavis EV is a mere 8.4 seconds! What impresses even more is the quietness of the powertrain, the progressive power delivery and the smooth throttle responses. This makes for a very predictable feel while accelerating, without any of the sudden jerks associated with EVs. Acceleration is quick given the 170PS output, even in Eco and Normal mode, so overtaking other vehicles, even at highway speeds, is easy. Differences in the throttle response in Eco, Normal and Sport modes is discernible easily too and Sport makes for very quick throttle responses, but in a very smooth manner.
With a claimed range of nearly 500km per charge, one can expect the Carens Clavis EV to offer over 400km on a single charge in the real world. Kia claims a 100kW DC fast charger will you recharge the 51.4kWh battery pack from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 39 minutes, while a 11kW AC home charger will take 4 hours and 45 minutes for the same task. These times are pretty quick, so be it heading out a road trip with planned charging stops for topping up the charge, or even when charging at home, the Carens Clavis EV will not take too long. You also get four levels of regenerative braking, with the highest being i-Pedal mode which allows one pedal driving, and also allows maximum regeneration.
Kia has tweaked the suspension keeping the increased vehicle weight in mind, besides which centre of gravity has changed too given the battery pack sitting in the floorboard. And the revised suspension setup makes for a very impressive ride quality as the MPV stay planted at highway speeds, besides soaking up bumps, undulations and ruts well. This should help the Carens Clavis EV tick an additional box for family car buyers. It also offers a confident feel when driving enthusiastically and feels stable at highway speeds and will not disappoint enthusiastic drivers, despite being an MPV.
So to answer the question I asked at the start, the Carens Clavis EV tick a lot of boxes and has what it takes to appeal to buyers looking primarily for a spacious, comfortable and three-row equipped MPV, with an electric powertrain. In fact with its SUV-esque design and the features on offer, I’m expecting this one to also appeal to midsize SUV buyers. Prices begin from ₹ 18 lakh ex-showroom and go up to ₹ 24.50 lakh ex-showroom. And in our opinion, these are excellent prices if you’re looking buy a family vehicle with a green number plate, and space for more than 5 people.
