Kia Motors Carens Electric MPV spied testing in South Korea for the first time

The Indian subsidiary of South Korean carmaker Kia, Kia India, is one of the most popular car manufacturers in the country, and its premium MPV, the Carens, is also quite popular. Currently, the model is only offered in an ICE iteration in India; however, a test mule has been recently spotted in South Korea, suggesting that the company could be developing an all-electric version of this MPV. The spy shots of this particular mule show the side profile of the car and reveal a few key details about the vehicle.

From the recent pictures of this particular test mule, it is evident that the vehicle is covered in heavy camouflage, hiding a ton of intricate details. Nevertheless, we can make out that it is an MPV and looks very similar to the Carens available in India. Some significant similarities between the Carens ICE version and this test mule are the placement of the pillars, the beltline, the wheel arches, and the slightly sloping roofline.

Furthermore, the front and rear sections’ core silhouettes on the test mule appear to be identical to those of the ICE Carens. The dense camouflage in these areas makes it difficult to discern minor details. Another key detail we can observe is that the test mule has an extremely distinct set of alloy wheels, which are covered. These types of wheels are common on EVs to reduce drag.

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As of yet, no other images of this test mule are available, so we do not have an exact idea of how it could look from the front and rear. However, if it truly is an EV, then most likely, it will have the signature closed-off front end with smooth body lines and no air channels or grille due to the absence of a conventional motor. The rear of the vehicle will also most likely be smoothed out to reduce drag and accentuate the EV styling.

Moving on to the car’s interiors, no pictures are available either. However, we believe that it will most likely come equipped with a futuristic-looking dashboard, which could draw inspiration from the recently unveiled Kia EV9 all-electric SUV. Kia displayed the EV9 SUV at the Auto Expo 2023. The interior of the EV9 and this test mule could be similar, and if that is the case, it will be a nice place to be in. Similar to the concept SUV, it could come equipped with a twin-screen infotainment system and a flat-bottom steering wheel without spokes.

As mentioned, no other key details about the drivetrain or range of this mule have been leaked. However, it is believed that it could have a range of around 400-500 kilometers. According to reports, this new model could feature a 99.8 kWh battery pack and can produce 350 Nm of peak torque and 201 hp of maximum power. Additionally, like the Kia EV9’s other AWD variant, it could also get an option of a 380 horsepower and 600 Nm drivetrain. Prices for the Kia Carens electric might vary from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.

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