Gone are the days when a multipurpose vehicle (MPV) was looked at just as a people mover, a utilitarian option. Seeing the practical aspect of a sevenseater vehicle, Kia has decided to introduce the most affordable allelectric MPV in the Indian market, and we got our hands on the new Carens Clavis EV. We tell you whether you should opt for the threerow allelectric or give it a miss.
The Carens Clavis EV is available in two battery pack options — the 42 kWh and 51.4 kWh. We drove the topoftheline version, which comes in three drive modes — Eco, Normal and Sport. We mostly stuck to Normal, as that’s what will be used in urban traffic. Step on the accelerator, and the MPV picks up pace seamlessly without any sluggish behaviour. Being an EV, there’s no lag, and it offers quite an involving driving experience. The 167 bhp of power kicks in before you can say Kia Carens Clavis EV.
We decided to keep the Sport mode last and switched to Eco. As expected, the zing in the power delivery evaporates, and the EV is totally focused on extending the driving range as much as possible. You could see a range boost of 10 km to 12 km over the Normal mode. The ecodriving option is ideal when you are negotiating bumpertobumper traffic, as it consumes the least energy.
Time to switch to fun mode, or rather Sport, and the Carens Clavis EV transforms into a different beast. The acceleration is so responsive that it makes you forget that this is a family car. Clearly, the Carens Clavis EV has a bit of something for everyone.
In our limited drive, the Carens Clavis EV was showing a range of around 350 km, which is fairly decent as it takes care of your city commute. The claimed ARAIcertified MIDC range is 490 km for the 51.4 kWh. According to Kia, the MPV charges 10 – 100% in 4.45 hours, and with a 100 kW DC charger, it juices up from 10 – 80% in just 39 minutes. It also comes with four regen modes, five actually, if you count zero mode. Mode 2 and Mode 3 are ideal for city traffic, as the brakes kick in in a natural way rather than being abrupt. It also has the onepedal drive mode, which is something one has to get used to, as the vehicle automatically applies the brakes that help in increasing its efficiency.
| Kia Carens Clavis EV | Standard | Long Range |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 42 kWh Lithium Ion | 51.4 kWh Lithium Ion |
| Max Power | 133 bhp | 169 bhp |
| Max Torque | 255 Nm | 255 Nm |
| DC Fast Charging | 1080% in 39 mins (100 kW charger) | 1080% in 39 mins (100 kW charger) |
| AC Fast Charging | 10100% in 4 hrs (11 kW charger) | 10100% in 4 hrs 45 mins (11 kW charger) |
Space is the Carens Clavis EV trump card, and there’s plenty of it. The second row has a versatile bench that can slide and recline to ensure the passengers are sitting comfortably. The 60:40 second row is beautifully crafted and offers decent back and underthigh support. At the moment, Kia is offering the Carens Clavis EV only as a sevenseater and no independent captain seats for the second row.
Access to the third row is very easy thanks to the onetouch tumble function that folds the middle row seats. One can comfortably access the third row, but the space is ideal for short trips in the city for two adults.
The Clavis EV offers a boot space of 216 litres with the third row up, which translates to two or three duffle bags and one mediumsized trolley. If the third row is not in use, then the seats can be folded, and two to three fullsized trollies can easily be placed. For additional space, it gets a 25litre frunk for the charging cables and other knickknacks that can be safely tucked in.
The Carens Clavis EV’s ride quality is worth mentioning, as the suspension system easily gobbles up broken roads and potholes. There’s a hint of firmness, but nothing too harsh for the passengers in the back to worry about. The Clavis EV also offers a decent 200 mm ground clearance, which is a relief, as one does not need to worry about scraping the battery while going over tall speed breakers.
Kia has given a lot of attention to details, as the cabin feels like a special place with softtouch materials, and the tripletone dashboard — blue, black and beige — livens it and makes it feel more airy. The Clavis EV is equipped with twin 12.25inch displays, unfortunately, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, front ventilated seats, boss mode to adjust the front passenger seat from the second row and an 8speaker Bose sound system. The MPV sports a panoramic sunroof, Level 2 ADAS, six airbags, all four disc brakes, a blind view monitor on the instrument cluster, front and rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitor system and much more.
The Carens Clavis EV successfully tick all the requirements of an MPV buyer and doubles it up with features, safety, comfort, performance and being all electric. It is available in four variants and starts from Rs 17.99 lakh to Rs 24.49 lakh, exshowroom. The pricing of the EV is quite impressive, as the Clavis turbo petrol range starts from Rs 16.90 lakh to Rs 21.50 lakh, exshowroom. What one should keep in mind is that the price difference between the two can be made up by the EV, as one doesn’t need to go to the fuel station. Let’s not forget the EV incentives that will bring down the actual MRP of the Clavis EV. If you want an allelectric EV sevenseater MPV, then you only have one option, but the good news is it’s not a compromise but rather an enticing proposition.
