EVs have been populating every segment of the Indian car market, and the all-electric three-row space has gained new contenders in recent years. On the mass-market side, three-row EVs are popular mostly for their spacious cabins, good refinement, long feature lists and low running costs. To that end, we’ve listed every three-row EV in India that you can buy for under Rs 30 lakh.
Kia Carens Clavis EV
Price: Rs 17.99 lakh-24.99 lakh
Kia’s first all-electric offering for the Indian mass market, the Carens Clavis EV, is currently the most affordable three-row EV. It is available with 42kWh (135hp) and 51.4kWh (171hp) battery options, both mated to a 255Nm front-mounted motor. The claimed Carens Clavis EV range is 404km for the 42kWh variants and 490km for the 51.4kWh battery version; the latter achieved an average real-world range of 364km in our testing.
As our Kia Carens Clavis EV review notes, the electric MPV feels premium thanks to features such as Level 2 ADAS, twin 12.3-inch screens, ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof and more. The cabin is quite roomy and comfortable across all three rows (6-seat and 7-seat layouts on offer), and the Carens Clavis EV feels smooth and easy to drive as well. Using a 100kW DC charger, the Carens Clavis takes just 39 minutes to charge from 0 to 80 percent.
Mahindra XEV 9S
Price: Rs 19.95 lakh-29.45 lakh
The XEV 9S is Mahindra’s first three-row EV, though it differentiates itself by sporting an SUV form factor. Mahindra sells the XEV 9S solely as a 7-seater with three battery packs – 59kWh (231hp), 70kWh (245hp) and 79kWh (286hp) – all hooked up to a 380Nm rear-mounted motor. This makes the XEV 9S the most powerful and the only RWD model here.
Mahindra claims that on a single charge, the XEV 9S can travel 521km with the 59kWh battery, 600km with the 70kWh pack and 679km with the 79kWh unit; up to 180kW DC charging is also supported. In our testing, the 79kWh version yielded a real-world range of 477km and a 0-100kph time of 7.54 seconds. Additionally, our XEV 9S review highlights how feature-loaded the SUV is, with triple 12.3-inch screens, Level 2 ADAS, ventilated first-row and second-row (outboard) seats, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof and more, though third-row space is more limited than the others on this list.
Vinfast VF MPV 7
Price: Rs 24.49 lakh
Not only is the VF MPV 7 the newest model here, but it is also among the biggest – its 2,840mm wheelbase is the longest of all, and it’s larger than the Carens Clavis EV and eMax 7 in all other dimensions too. The Vinfast VF MPV 7 comes exclusively with a 60.13kWh battery, which powers a 204hp, 280Nm front-mounted motor and delivers an ARAI-claimed 517km range. Using an 80kW DC charger, a 10-70 percent top-up can be achieved in just 30 minutes.
In our VF MPV 7 review, we remarked that it lacks the creature comforts and features its rivals offer, such as powered and ventilated seats, ADAS, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, ambient lighting, a sunroof and a head-up display, among others. Nevertheless, the VF MPV 7’s 7-seater cabin is rather spacious and comfortable, and the EV feels easy to drive thanks to its relaxed and gradual power delivery.
BYD eMax 7
Price: Rs 26.90 lakh-29.90 lakh
The eMax 7 is the facelifted avatar of the e6, which was the forebear of the mass-market three-row EV segment. BYD offers the eMax 7 with 55.4kWh (163hp) and 71.8kWh (204hp) battery options, both paired with a 310Nm front-mounted motor. The NEDC-claimed range stands at 420km for the 55.4kWh eMax 7 and 530km for the 71.8kWh version; up to 115kW DC charging is supported.
Both 6-seat and 7-seat configurations are available, and as our review of the BYD eMax 7 notes, the seats themselves are comfortable, and space is ample throughout the cabin, though second- and third-row occupants have to contend with a knees-up seating position. There are a lot of features, too, such as a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 360-degree camera, a panoramic glass roof, Level 2 ADAS, an air filter and two wireless charging pads, to name a few.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.
Uday Singh
Glenn Noronha
Dipan Sur
