Kia Carens Clavis EV: One And Only

The Kia Carens Clavis EV is a 7-seater mass market electric car. It’s a requirement that’s as specific as it is complicated to put together. It may just be an electric Carens Clavis but the transition isn’t that straightforward. Going electric means getting heavier, equaling more stress for the brakes, tyres and suspension. Tuning the suspension for anywhere between 1-7 passengers is even more complicated. 

And then there’s the question of calculating when and if you will recover the extra money you’d spend for the EV switch. But before you open an excel sheet or ask chatGPT to do the math, here’s what’s in the formula.

Looks

The Clavis EV isn’t really the kind of electric car to shout about its zero-emission powertrain with a radical styling package. Save for small changes like the fascia-integrated charger port, active aero-vents in the lower half of the bumper, connected LED DRLs and LED front fog lights, it looks the same as the petrol/diesel Clavis. 

The side profile still features 16-17 inch alloy wheels with the difference being the aero-optimised flaps in their design. Thankfully, unlike the Creta EV, which the Clavis EV shares its battery tech and powertrain with, the battery pack’s line is hidden well under the side-skirting. 

At the rear, there is no notable difference save for the ‘Carens Clavis EV’ badging and here too you see connected LED tail lights with slightly boxy edges that continue the slightly more squared-off/SUV-like treatment of the Carens nameplate that we saw with the Clavis itself. While that may be the intention, the silhouette overall still reads MPV.

Interior

Getting in and out of this car is super easy irrespective of your age or height. Once inside, you get a great sense of space, thanks to the tall roof and big glass area. Unlike what we’ve seen with a lot of electric vehicles based on existing cars, everything from your leg space, seat support and seating position remains completely unchanged. This was my number one concern as the Clavis’ interior-sensibility makes it usable for a wide range of buyers.

A 5.8ft-tall driver can sit in the third and second-row behind his/her own driving position. Such users will also find they have adequate headroom in each row and while under the support in the third row isn’t great, the seat is comfortable enough to manage a short city commute or even a 2-3 hour long intercity commute. 

Unfortunately, Kia doesn’t offer the six seater option (with captain seats) in the Clavis EV. There are no limitations in offering this from a technical standpoint. Kia has found few takers for the Carens or Carens Clavis with this configuration, hence the decision to offer the EV only as a 7-seater.

Tall users or those with broad shoulders can adjust the seats to free up enough space, but they will wish for broader seats like you get in the XL6. The second-row also has a fold-out work table with a tablet holder and one cup holder on the front passenger’s side and the air purifier console integrated behind the driver’s seat, both of which take away some knee room. 

Boot Space

At 216-litres, the boot space with all three rows up stays the same as the Carens Clavis. There is a storage area underneath the boot floor as well that’s big enough for small grocery bags, an umbrella or shoes. With all three rows in use and the third-row backrest set to a slightly reclined angle, there is enough space for one cabin-sized trolley bag along with 1-2 soft bags. Drop the third-row down and you can get full-sized suitcases, 2-3 trolley bags and 3-4 soft bags in, before you start compromising your rearward visibility. And the 2nd row can also be folded down to liberate more space.

Practicality & Device Charging Options

3rd Row	Tablet/phone holders along with bottle holders and a type-C USB charging port on each side.
2nd Row	Door pads have space for 2 x 1-litre bottles each with additional storage under the door armrest.  There are 2 x USB type-C ports along with a 3-pin plug-point.
1st Row	Door pads have space for 2 x 1-litre bottles each with additional storage under the door armrest. There’s more room for some knickknacks and a small umbrella too. There’s a small storage space under the central armrest, a deep storage area ahead of the armrest that gets flip-out cupholders and a large storage bin under the armrest console. Front row occupants get 1 USB type-A and 1 USB type-C charging port, a wireless phone charger and a 12V socket

Features

One gripe people may have is while you’re paying more for the Clavis EV, its features package is identical to the Clavis. That being said, I don’t think there’s any big miss to begin with since the car is so well-loaded. 

Highlights:

• One-touch operation for all power windows. 

• Tilt and reach-adjustment for the steering wheel.

• Automatic climate control with roof mounted rear AC vents. 

• Ventilated front seat. 

• 4-way power-adjustable driver’s seat (manual height-adjustment)

• Panoramic sunroof.

• One-touch tumble-forward 2nd row.

• Bose 8-speaker music system.

• Boss-lever to adjust front passenger’s seat from 2nd row.

• Roller-type window sunblinds aid backseat comfort and privacy.

Both the instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system measure 12.25-inches. The steering control-operated instrument cluster is responsive and easy to use. It also gets different displays based on the drive mode selected and switches between them in a cool game-like manner. I am personally not a fan of the touchscreen’s purple colour theme, but operationally, it is quick and easy to understand. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are still wired, though, and you have to use the type-A USB port for them. 

Safety

6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, ISOFIX mounts are all standard in the Carens Clavis EV. Also offered as standard are hill-start assist, highline tyre pressure monitoring and all-wheel disc brakes. The safety package also includes front and rear parking sensors, blind-view monitor and a good resolution 360-degree camera.

Much like the Carens Clavis, the Clavis EV is available with ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) features like forward collision warning and auto braking, lane-keep assist, safe exit warning, adaptive cruise control with stop-n-go and more. 

Driving

• DC Fast Charging (100kW): 39 mins (10-80%)

• AC 11kW Fast Charger: 4-5 hours (10-100%)

It is by far the easiest and most convenient way to haul 6-7 people together at this price point. Even in Eco mode, there’s enough performance to manage not just city, but highway drives as well. Getting up from 20-80kmph only takes about 4-5 seconds with the smooth pedal response helping you pick up the pace progressively. 

There are 5 regenerative braking levels to choose from ranging from no regen to the single-pedal mode (i-pedal). While you do have Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes to choose from, most of your driving can easily be managed in Eco mode. Noise insulation is good for the most part, and there is more sound deadening in the Clavis EV vs the Clavis, but road noise is still more audible than I’d have liked.

Ride

Ride quality is notably on the firmer side (vs the standard Clavis). Road level changes and sharper bumps will be felt more easily here but the general experience is still plenty comfortable. High speed stability is strong too and the ride doesn’t feel too bouncy at high speeds. This behaviour will change with a full load though and third-row occupants can find the ride bouncy at high speeds on inconsistency levelled roads/concrete expressways.

Verdict

The electric Clavis is quite specific in its target audience. While the petrol or diesel powered Clavis could possibly land up on the shopping lists of somebody who was looking at a 5-seater like the Kia Seltos or Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, this is very specifically for someone who wants a compact electric 7-seater. 

And that’s down to its price. So whether it’s the desire to own something with zero tailpipe emissions or you have extensive daily commutes and heavy running, or you’re tired of the dance of guesswork with government policy, there is an extra layer of justification needed for that premium. 

The good thing is the switch to EV hasn’t caused a compromise. The ride is a bit firmer but it’s just as practical, just as feature-loaded, just as comfortable and even better to drive than the Clavis petrol/diesel. With extensive enough running, most users can make up the higher price in 2-3 years of driving too. So if you wanted the Carens Clavis’s sensible package in EV form, this is exactly what this car is inch-for-inch.

Warranty: 3 year/unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty + 8 year/1,60,000km high-voltage battery warranty.