Kia Carens Clavis EV long term review | Intro

The latest EV to enter the Auto Today long-term fleet is the Kia Carens Clavis EV. Here's a quick introduction to the model and our first impressions after spending some time with it.

Model: Kia Carens Clavis EV HTX+ ER

Test Started: April 2026/ 8,444km
Tenure/Target mileage 3 months/5,000km
Mileage This Month: NA
Efficiency this month: NA

The Carens Clavis EV, when it was launched in the middle of last year was India’s first 7-seater MPV in the mass-market segments. Based on the same modified K2 platform that underpins the Hyundai Creta electric, the BEV version of the Carens Clavis is identical to the ICE versions as far as the wheelbase and most dimensions go but differs in one key aspect.

The battery pack goes under the floor and to maintain ground clearance and provide for the underbody protections, the floor had to be raised and so the overall height of the vehicle goes up by 22mm. On the road that does seem a bit odd as the Carens Clavis BEV does look ungainly with its height but that is visible only to the discerning viewer.

The vehicle we have comes equipped with the larger 51.4kWh battery pack designated by the ER (extended range) monicker as opposed to the smaller 42kWh one. Range on the ER models is claimed to be 490km though on topping up the battery when the car came to us we have not seen the estimated range go over 370km yet. That though is dependent on the driving style and usage of whoever was using the car before us.

I would be pleased if one gets over 400km on every full charge – around 8km per kWh would be good efficiency for a car of this size. The exteriors are similar to the ICE vehicle with cosmetic and practical changes from wheel covers and alloys to the front that now accommodates the charging port right in the front in the middle of the bumper that occupies the space of the front grille (as in the ICE Clavis) – the vehicle has to be parked nose-in for charging and though I have not used another vehicle where the charging port is right in the front, let’s see if that is a boon or a problem.

The interiors are what made the Carens Clavis such a favourite and the EV carries forward all the great features including, contemporary interiors, large screens and premium materials. There is even more space on the BEV as the drive mode shifter moves to the steering column as a stalk integrating the start-stop button as well as the drive modes as it is on all Kia electric vehicles globally liberating a whole lot of space. Watch this space as we live with this BEV and discover whether it endears itself to us or we discover its flaws as there are bound to be some – a perfect vehicle is yet to be made!

Specifications

Powertrain: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power: 171bhp
Torque: 255Nm
Battery capacity: 51.4kWh
Electric range: 490km (MIDC)
Ex-showroom price: 24.49 lakh

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