Kia Carens Clavis EV Ownership Review: Service Costs & Savings Truth

Kia Carens Clavis EV is the first 7-seater electric MPV in India and has started a new segment in the sub 20 lakh budget. Our AllAboutEVs team recently had a talk with the owner of the Clavis EV as he shared his 5,000 km experience and gave an overview of Carens Clavis EV features, performance and charging range with actual service costs.

Kia Carens Clavis EV ownership review: From ICE to EV

The owner had various difficulties while switching to EVs and it was a steep learning curve till the first 1,000 Km. The left-foot muscle memory was bothering the user as it kept searching for a non-exsistent clutch, resulting in a jerky initial drive.

According to the user, one of the most interesting features of the Clavis EV is the collusion prevention system, as it automatically applies brakes.

However, sometimes the user found it to be too intrusive especially on Indian roads, which can cause major accidents during sudden braking. But as the user got adjusted to the car, the driving dynamics became more easy and adaptable for him. 

Kia Carens Clavis EV Performance & Range

When it comes to EVs, consumers are worried about the desired range figures. The performance of Carens Clavis EV is highly reliant on “Right Foot Discipline”. The user also shared his experience that during a family trip fully loaded with six passengers, the EV delivered an impressive range of 8.4 km/kWh, which results in a real world range of 420 Km on a single charge.

Highway Drive: The user said that in an EV, speed is inversely proportional to range, as over-speeding hampers the overall range of the car. Thus it is important to find a sweet spot of 80-100 km/hr, which can easily provide 350-400 Km of real-world range.

The user also did a sporty test where he floured the accelerator pedal resulting in 80% of battery drainage in under 200 Km. 

Kia Carens Clavis EV Charging Network & Service

EV ownership is heavily dependent on public charging infrastructure. As per the owner’s experience, he travelled through Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and showed a glimpse of the charging networks like PlugShare, Glida, BPCL, which are constantly improving, but cannot be trusted blindly.

Charging Network: Thus the user told us that it is very important to never run the battery State of Charge (SOC) to drop below 10% specifically at highways. The user encountered various issues as in a desperate situation at 5% SOC, a fast charger refused to charge and initiated the software handshake, which required a tow to a working station.

Maintenance: Regarding the maintenance, the first service removed some initial glitches coming in the car and the user gave an average 3 out of 5 to the overall dealership experience. 

Kia Carens Clavis EV Features & Tyre Problem

The advanced connected car features makes the Clavis EV a fun-to-drive car. The user also rated a top score of 5/5 for family travel safety and overall cabin comfort. However, the user faced issues due to the spare tyre.

During the remote 350 Km trip, the owner suffered a shocking rear-tyre blast and just after that he knew that the rear “Stepney” is quite a joke and is only meant for emergency situations. The replacement was a big problem as he advised to carry a heavy-duty puncture kit and a good quality tyre inflator in your boot.

The Verdict

So after reviewing the Clavis EV, we are happy to tell you that this electric MPV is a financial masterstroke as a 7-seater car at this price is quite a stellar deal. It also scores a perfect 5/5 in cost savings. It’s just that you have to be prepared for the infrastructure challenges and just carry a reliable tyre repair kit.