Kia Carens Clavis EV Review: Family MPV Goes Electric

The electric version of the Kia Carens Clavis closely follows the update to the internal combustion counterpart. The design is almost identical, and the list of features looks similar. Carens Clavis EV also debuts as the only 7-seater electric offering under Rs 25 lakh. The question that begs an answer is whether the Kia Carens Clavis EV is a worthy pick in the ever-evolving electric stream. Let's find out in the first drive review:

Kia Carens Clavis EV: Design

Kia India has gone the conventional way, keeping the designs of ICE and EV siblings similar. Clavis EV packs connected lights at either end with an upright stance. The major point of difference is the wheels. The EV has aero-optimised wheels. The flaps on the grille also open, directing air favourably to reduce the drag. The subtle changes led to a drag co-efficent of 0.29 against 0.32 in the ICE versions.

Kia Carens Clavis EV: Cabin And features

The range-topping Clavis Electric has every convenience that a fossil fuel-powered Clavis has, save for a few changes in layout. The gear stalk placed under the steering wheel is chunky. The 12.25-inch infotainment screen displays a few EV-centric readouts, including distance to empty and nearest charging point. The space between the front seats is hollow, allowing plenty of storage space in and around. The fit and finish levels are satisfactory.

Kia Carens Clavis EV Interior

Surprisingly, Carens Clavis EV is also available in a 7-seater configuration and Kia may bring in the variant with captain seats later. In terms of features, the full-loaded MPV has a panoramic sunroof, Bose speakers, digital driver's display, ambient lights, wireless charging, dual-zone air conditioning, electrically-adjustable driver's seat, privacy curtains and tray tables for second row passengers. The space on offer is decent in the first two rows. The third row is a tight space for adults, however, it doesn't feel claustrophobic. The boot space stands at 216 litres. The 25-litre frunk space ensures the potable charger and vehicle-to-load cables are tucked in cleanly.

Kia Carens Clavis EV: Powertrain Choices

The Carens Clavis EV comes in two battery pack options: 42 kWh and 51.2 kWh. The claimed range is 404 kilometres and 490 kilometres respectively. The single, front-axle-mounted motor is also differently tuned in both variants. The power output of standard and long-range variants are 135 horsepower and 171 horsepower respectively. The torque rating is 255 Nm. Carens Clavis EV shared the battery and motor with the recently-launched Hyundai Creta Electric.

Kia Carens Clavis EV: Charging time

The 11 kW AC wallbox charger takes 4 hours to fully charge the standard variant and 4 hours and 45 minutes for the extended variant. The electric MPV supports up to a 100 kW DC fast charger, juicing up 80 per cent from 10 per cent in 39 minutes. The Carens EV also supports vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) facility, allowing topping up or receiving power from other electric vehicles.

Kia Carens Clavis EV Charging Time

Kia Carens Clavis EV: Drive Experience

For the sake of the range test, we largely drove the Carens Clavis EV in normal mode. The acceleration is fairly decent to overtake in city traffic. The pickup improves in sport mode, and the steering feels lighter as well. There are four levels of motor recuperation. At the highest level, touted as I-pedal, the decelerating force is strong enough to mimic brakes in slow-moving traffic. The MPV feels strongly planted on highways at triple digits.

The visibility from the driver's seat is wide and clear. The handling is largely neutral, and there is some amount of body roll when pushed hard around the corners. The braking is sharp; however, it does feel a bit woody. The suspension is softly sprung, soaking up the road undulations nicely at slow speeds. Carens Clavis EV comes with a host of Level 2 ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) features, six airbags, all disc brakes, and a 360-degree camera.

We drove the Carens Clavis EV for 141.5 kilometres through varied road scenarios - city, highway, and rain-affected countryside, and we could achieve 8.5 km/kWh, which effectively means around 445 kilometres of range in real life.

Kia Carens Clavis EV: Verdict

The top-end trims of turbo-petrol and electric have a quantum of Rs 3 lakh. Buying an electric vehicle may have indirect benefits like saving on taxes, lower cost of running and maintenance, and a subsidy in certain states. The Carens Clavis EV may lack the 'wow' factor, yet it delivers on aspects it is expected to. Kia's electric MPV is suitable for families - comfortable, feature-rich, and premium.