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The Chrysler Airflow Concept: Chrysler's EV Future

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The Chrysler Airflow Concept



Chrysler has fully revealed the Chrysler Airflow Concept in a way they hadn't prior. Now complete with a full press release. The Chrysler Airflow concept portends the destiny of Stellantis’ premium American brand, which will introduce its first battery-electric vehicle in 2025 before going all-EV by 2028. You read that right, "America's Premium Brand." Chrysler is aiming up again. The Airflow previews Chrysler’s future of EV propulsion and Level 3 driver assistance.

Chrysler says the Airflow concept’s silent propulsion has a low environmental impact that supposedly inspired designers to take a similar approach to styling. The result is a graceful, aerodynamic vehicle that’s a big departure from the blocky 300 that rocked the world in 2005, and more reminiscent of the soft, smooth lines of the beautiful Chrysler 200 redesign of 2015. The long wheelbase and wide track emphasizes passenger space, with 22-inch wheels giving the Airflow a firm, planted stance. Thanks to a low center of gravity and that wheels-at-the-corners layout, Chrysler says the Airflow will offer excellent handling and performance.

The new Airflow has an exhaustive suite of connectivity features, which will allow the car’s occupants to control other aspects of their lives like home security, shopping, and even video conference calls, etc, right from the car’s cabin. Granted, most of that stuff people will never do. But you based on recent products from Jeep, watching Youtube and Fire TV should be a given for passengers.

Chrysler’s move towards electrification is based on a new company EV platform. The Airflow concept comes with Stellantis’ new battery-specific architecture called STLA. This model is likely based on the STLA Medium platform for midsized cars and crossovers. But what about range you ask? Chrysler expects a theoretical range of between 350 and 400 miles which is easy to make up since it hasn't been tested yet. Maybe we can pretend it gets 800 miles? Joking aside, the Airflow gets all-wheel drive thanks to two 150-kilowatt (201-horsepower) electric drive modules (EDMs) that combine the engine, geartrain, and inverter into a single package. An all-in-one if you will. The Airflow likely has about 400hp between the two EDMs, but you really can't combine the HP for each EDM to get a final output. That isn't how it works.


Another good thing is that Chrysler also says the platform is capable of accepting larger, more powerful power units, making the prospect of higher-performance vehicles a spark of glimmer in the eye of speed fans. Stellantis also announced in July 2021 that all of its future power modules would at least be 400-volt compatible, and that the flagship EDM features 800-volt architecture. As the standard-bearer for Chysler’s electrification plans, it’s likely the Airflow features that technology. Most likely, the Chrysler Airflow can receive over-the-air updates to keep its user interface and technology current for longer than other vehicles on the road today. With the average age of cars people drive older than ever today, this will be much appreciated.

The Chrysler Airflow concept has STLA AutoDrive technology (a shared technology with BMW), a Level 3 driver-assistance suite that can remove the driver from the equation in specific circumstances like freeway or limited-access highway driving. More advanced than other systems currently on sale in the US, Level 3 autonomy allows the driver to take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel, freeing them up to do things they probably shouldn't... heck they can eat a sandwich as the car drivers, or shave, brush their teeth.

Inside, the front and rear seats feature pedestal-style mounts that improve toe room and, as well as a full glass roof. A floating center console separates the front seats, with plenty of storage underneath the bridge for purses and backpacks. You thought floating roofs were bad in design? Now we got floating center stacks, though in this application it is much appreciated. In the back, a low-profile armrest appears between the individual bucket seats. A rear bench will likely appear on the production car. A sliding cargo floor eases loading as well.

Chrysler will become the headliner for parent company Stellantis’ EV aspirations in the United States, ending any rumors of the company being on the chopping block. The Airflow concept, which appears practically production-ready thanks to feasible lighting, mirror, and bumper designs, will likely be the first new product from Chrysler in about a decade when it goes on sale by 2025. Just three years later, the entire Chrysler portfolio will be all-electric, well before Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Audi and Volvo... which is easy when your lineup is currently 3 cars and soon to be different. It will be exciting to see what other news we will get about Chrysler's future as well as other products from Dodge, Ram, and Jeep.





















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OTHER TOPICS You May Enjoy:
Chrysler's Future Design Language
Chrysler/Dodge Future Speculation
A Tale of Two Maserati's
Stellantis & NASCAR Return?
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Just loose the round knob on the console please. That is out of place.
The Chrysler Airflow Concept



Chrysler has fully revealed the Chrysler Airflow Concept in a way they hadn't prior. Now complete with a full press release. The Chrysler Airflow concept portends the destiny of Stellantis’ premium American brand, which will introduce its first battery-electric vehicle in 2025 before going all-EV by 2028. You read that right, "America's Premium Brand." Chrysler is aiming up again. The Airflow previews Chrysler’s future of EV propulsion and Level 3 driver assistance.

Chrysler says the Airflow concept’s silent propulsion and low environmental impact inspired designers to take a similar approach to styling. The result is a graceful, aerodynamic flagship that’s a big departure from the old-school blocky 300 and more reminiscent of the soft, smooth lines of the beautiful Chrysler 200 redesign of 2015. The long wheelbase and wide track emphasize passenger space, with 22-inch wheels giving the Airflow a modern, planted stance. Thanks to a low center of gravity and that wheels-at-the-corners layout, Chrysler says the Airflow will offer excellent handling and performance.

The new Airflow has an extensive suite of connectivity features, which will allow the car’s occupants to control other aspects of their lives – like home security, shopping lists, and even video conference calls – right from the car’s cabin. Granted, most of that stuff people will never do.

Chrysler’s march toward electrification is a highly based on a robust EV platform. The Airflow concept comes with Stellantis’ new battery-specific architecture called STLA. The Airflow is likely based on the STLA Medium platform for mid-sized cars and crossovers, and Chrysler expects a theoretical range of between 350 and 400 miles. The Airflow gets all-wheel drive courtesy of two 150-kilowatt (201-horsepower) electric drive modules (EDMs) that combine the motor, geartrain, and inverter into a single package. The Airflow likely has about 400 ponies between the two EDMs.

The automaker also says the platform is capable of accepting larger, more powerful power units, making the prospect of a higher-performance vehicles. Stellantis also announced in its EV day last July that all of its future power modules would at least be 400-volt compatible, and that the flagship EDM features 800-volt architecture. As the standard-bearer for Chysler’s electrification plans, it’s likely the Airflow features that technology. Theoretically, the Chrysler Airflow can receive over-the-air updates to keep its user interface and technology current for longer than anything on the market today.

The Chrysler Airflow concept boasts STLA AutoDrive technology (a shared technology with BMW), a Level 3 driver-assistance suite that can remove the driver from the equation in specific circumstances like freeway or limited-access highway driving. More advanced than other systems currently on sale in the US, Level 3 autonomy allows the driver to take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel, freeing them up to do things they probably shouldn't... heck they can eat a sandwich as the car drivers, or shave, brush their teeth.

Inside, the front and rear seats feature pedestal-style mounts that improve toe room and, in concert with the full glass roof, reduce claustrophobia. A floating center console separates the front seats, with plenty of storage underneath the bridge for purses and backpacks. In back, a low-profile armrest appears between individual bucket seats, meaning the Airflow is a spacious transportation pod for four – a rear bench will likely appear on the production car. A sliding cargo floor eases loading.

Chrysler will become the vanguard of parent company Stellantis’ EV aspirations in the United States, ending any rumors of the company being on the chopping block. The Airflow concept, which appears practically production-ready thanks to feasible lighting, mirror, and bumper designs, will likely be the first new product from Chrysler in about a decade when it goes on sale by 2025. Just three years later, the entire Chrysler portfolio will be all-electric – well before Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Audi and Volvo... which is easy when your lineup is currently 3 cars and soon to be different. It will be exciting to see what other news we will get about Chrysler's future as well as other products from Dodge, Ram, and Jeep.





















Photo Gallery

OTHER TOPICS You May Enjoy:
Chrysler's Future Design Language
Chrysler/Dodge Future Speculation
A Tale of Two Maserati's
Stellantis & NASCAR Return?
I think this design definitely has potential, I do hope that at least in the short term they will offer these new vehicles in other than bev drivetrains. I think for me at this time a phev would be more suitable. Un the future as technology advances who knows.
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I think this design definitely has potential, I do hope that at least in the short term they will offer these new vehicles in other than bev drivetrains. I think for me at this time a phev would be more suitable. Un the future as technology advances who knows.
I agree. I love the look of this but still have the anxiety of driving battery only. Hopefully a hybrid will be available too or the turbo 4.
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Except for the awkward looking tacked-on pod in the center of the dash, the interior is attractive and bright, not a gloomy, black dungeon like most Chrysler vehicles today. The front view is okay, but has nothing to add uniqueness or character. The side and rear views are more of the generic sameness of the entire crop of new cars. There is nothing about the profile to distinguish it from dozens of other cars. Overall, it's not something I would consider buying, but my opinion carries no weight with automotive stylists or anyone else, for that matter.
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Not bad at all. The best thing in the article is that they called Chrysler "America's Premium Brand". That is the correct plan for the division in my opinion: comfortable, higher class cruisers. That is what I think about when I think about "Chrysler".
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Detroit News Interview with Chrysler CEO

Interesting interview about Chrysler´s future.
An interesting quote from the article:
"Chrysler also will look to "redefine" the current segments in which it plays, she said. The brand sees a market for electrified large sedans and will have an offering to replace the 300. Chrysler also will look to uphold its heritage in pioneering the minivan almost 40 years ago — that innovation is inspiration for Chrysler's next chapter."
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I would love to see the headlights and taillights from the DS9 on this car, and to lose the really copycat black roof. If you want to do a 2 tone paint then do a real one, not just a boring black roof that looks like a vinyl top from the '70's.
Not bad at all. The best thing in the article is that they called Chrysler "America's Premium Brand". That is the correct plan for the division in my opinion: comfortable, higher class cruisers. That is what I think about when I think about "Chrysler".
They kinda Hinted that in the EV Day presentation with a Silhouette of a Sedan/Coupe with Chrysler Logo on the wheels.
I liked vinyl tops !! :p
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I do rather enjoy that the Airflow takes a lot of cues from Tesla. It is as though they said "these are great vehicles and all, but what if it didn't look like a grade schooler's drawing of a car", especially the interior.
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Better than the other shots of it.

But it still doesn't look like a unique design language. It kinda looks like Porsche and Honda, maybe a bit Toyota in the profile. I agree the drive knob looks a bit.. tacked on?

Random aside: I would rather be able to hide the screens than make them look aftermarket like some of these do. 🤔

AND for the love of the gods please remove piano black from the plastics. Lol - it's only good for photography.
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I would love to see the headlights and taillights from the DS9 on this car, and to lose the really copycat black roof. If you want to do a 2 tone paint then do a real one, not just a boring black roof that looks like a vinyl top from the '70's.
It will be a black roof regardless because of the Pano Roof. thats the common reason for painting the rest of the roof black to match the pano roof.
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Glass roofs are a bad idea. What is needed is better thermal insulation for BEVs to reduce parasitic battery loads for cooling and heating. Rubber band tires are also a bad idea considering the poor quality of many of America's roads. A tire engineer once told me there is no benefit to be gained by going to a lower aspect ratio than 65. As to some hybrid form, why hasn't the industry looked at serial hybrids with a small, and I mean small, get home genset, with power sufficient to operate the vehicle at 100km/62mph on a flat road. My 2003 Neon only needed 12 hp. to travel at that speed. Since a genset operates at single speed, it can be more efficient than the usual ICE.
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That looks petty much production ready. I like it.
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Detroit News Interview with Chrysler CEO

Interesting interview about Chrysler´s future.
An interesting quote from the article:
"Chrysler also will look to "redefine" the current segments in which it plays, she said. The brand sees a market for electrified large sedans and will have an offering to replace the 300. Chrysler also will look to uphold its heritage in pioneering the minivan almost 40 years ago — that innovation is inspiration for Chrysler's next chapter."
But Dodge pioneered the Minivan, not Chrysler. Car-a-van. So that is her target, the soccer mom division. Quite disappointing.

"The Chrysler brand will abandon gas-powered vehicles for a bigger, all-electric lineup with SUVs by 2028 in its attempt to stave off demise at the end of the decade." Can we say the sky is falling now?

"its first look at a new vision designed with millennial female customers in mind."
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Glass roofs are a bad idea. What is needed is better thermal insulation for BEVs to reduce parasitic battery loads for cooling and heating. Rubber band tires are also a bad idea considering the poor quality of many of America's roads. A tire engineer once told me there is no benefit to be gained by going to a lower aspect ratio than 65. As to some hybrid form, why hasn't the industry looked at serial hybrids with a small, and I mean small, get home genset, with power sufficient to operate the vehicle at 100km/62mph on a flat road. My 2003 Neon only needed 12 hp. to travel at that speed. Since a genset operates at single speed, it can be more efficient than the usual ICE.
50s provide better handling. There is no benefit in going below 50. 55 for 205 or narrower. We have known this since the '80s. It was 50 series tires that allowed production cars like the Shelby Charger to hit 1G in cornering with minor modifications. They need to get away from the rubber band 45 and 35 tires.

Agreed glass roofs are a bad idea. Too much glass. Dark tinted T tops over driver and passenger would be nice though.

Just use the 1.3T for the hybrid. It is perfect for every size vehicle, just keep adding more powerful electric motors.
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They did look at serial hybrids.There were reasons discussed on allpar for not doing it.
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