Kia Carens Clavis EV Launched In India, Price Starts At 17.99 Lakh!
Bringing long waits and anticipations to an end, Kia India has launched its first mass-market electric vehicle- the Carens Clavis EV. This electric three-row MPV has a starting ex-showroom price of Rs 17.99 lakh. It will be Kia's first made-in-India EV. There are four variants available, the range-topping one being priced at Rs 24.49 lakh, ex-showroom. Bookings are scheduled to begin on July 22, 2025.
Kia Carens Clavis EV: A Closer Look At It
In its design, the Carens Clavis EV resembles the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) counterpart. It continues to be based on the manufacturer's ''Opposites United' design philosophy.
The triangular LED headlights, angular DRLs and blanked-off grille have been carried over. The charger port is located on the nose. Minor changes can be spotted on the front bumper as well. It also has low-mounted fog lamps and an integrated skid plate. Another standout feature is the active air flaps- which improve aero-efficiency and optimize the battery temperature at all times.
The silhouette mirrors that of the ICE vehicle. You can see dual-tone aero-optimized 17-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, there are LED tail lamps with a sleek connecting light bar. The overall design is a nod to that of the EV5.
Interior And Features
Inside, the design and layout stand identical to those of the petrol/diesel Carens Clavis. Almost all key highlights remain the same. A noticeable omission is that of the gear knob. Since this is an EV, the traditional shifter has been replaced with a drive selector, which doesn't sit on the centre console. It is placed on a stalk, to the right of the steering wheel, similar to what we find on modern Mercedes cars.
You find storage spaces at the place where the shifter used to sit on the ICE version. The cabin colourway is another big difference. The EV has a more pleasant colour scheme inside. The interior design at large, keeps Kia's signature 'RV philosophy' (RV stands for 'Recreational Vehicle'- the Kia speak for MPV) safe.
The EV has become the first three-row offering in its segment and features 2+3+2 seating. The second row gets electric tumble function and boss mode. The space as such, is largely unexplored and the Clavis EV can possibly do wonders.
Kit levels on the all-electric Clavis are great. It comes equipped with two 12.3-inch screens- one for infotainment and the other for instrumentation, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless charger for smartphones, air purifier, and premium 8-speaker BOSE audio. The infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well. Most of these features are already present on the petrol/diesel version.
In addition to these, the Clavis EV also offers Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) (and Vehicle-To-Vehicle (V2V)) charging. These can be particularly useful when you go camping with the vehicle.
Powertrain Details
The Clavis EV is underpinned by the same platform as the outgoing Hyundai Creta Electric. Two battery packs are offered- 42 kWh and 51.4 kWh, which Kia says, are water-proof, dust proof and absolutely safe in Indian climatic conditions. It claims a range of 490 km on the larger unit and 404 km on the smaller one.
The Clavis EV gets a front-axle mounted electric motor that generates up to 171 PS hp and 255 Nm. It thus has a Front Wheel Drive (FWD) layout. 0-100 kph sprint takes just 8.5 seconds. There are four levels of regenerative braking offered as well.
The safety suite on Clavis EV is quite comprehensive. It comes with tech like six airbags, disc brakes for all wheels, ESC, VSM, ABS with EBD, level 2 ADAS with 20 features, traction control, rollover sensors, and hill start assist.
To make Clavis EV ownership hassle-free, Kia India is also expanding its EV-ready dealership network and also setting up chargers at multiple new locations.