Chrysler hasn’t really been in the news lately, even though it is one of the oldest brands in the automotive space right now. However, the company has big plans for the future and, at the Consumer Electronics Show, we just caught a glimpse of what’s in store, courtesy of the Chrysler Airflow Concept.
Now under the huge umbrella of the Stellantis group, the Chrysler brand is aiming to go fully electric by 2028, with its first production electric car scheduled to reach dealerships by 2025. Most likely, that production car will be based on the Airflow Concept we just saw unveiled in full at the CES 2022.
The name does the car justice, as its design was created to be as aerodynamic as possible, fitting for an electric car. This marks a departure from the boxy designs we’ve seen on Chrysler models ever since the 300C was launched. While the pictures might make it seem like it’s rather small in size, the Airflow is supposed to be a rival for cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Volkswagen’s iD.4. To get a better idea of what kind of size it is, remember that the car shown in the photos at hand here is wearing 22-inch wheels.
Under the pretty sheet metal, the Airflow Concept is apparently running on the new, modular, electric platform Stellantis announced a while back, called STLA. This platform will underpin cars of various sizes, and in various segments, the Airflow being a mid-size crossover. According to Chrysler, the Airflow should have a range between 350 and 400 miles and it uses two electric motors, one for each axle, slated to make 201 HP apiece.
Unfortunately, Chrysler didn’t offer any hints as to what kind of battery is being used for the Airflow concept or what kind of capacity we’re looking at here. However, back in July, the company did say that most of its electric cars will get 800V architectures, which seems like it would be the case with the Airflow as well, prompting a possible fast-charging solution. Also on the technology front, the car features the STLA SmartCockpit which is supposed to get over-the-air updates in the future, in order to maximize the car’s life cycle. Furthermore, thanks to a collaboration with BMW through Stellantis, the production version might also get Level 3 driving aids when it comes out.
While it may seem like the Chrysler Airflow Concept is just an exercise, taking a closer look at what the American company showed us seems to point to serious plans for the future. This feels like a production-ready car and it could very well become a real offering in its range. Plans to make this Chrysler’s first completely new product in the last decade are already in motion and the Airflow will become reality by 2025, according to company representatives.
