Stellantis has finally peeled back the curtain to show a glimpse of what the future might look like when it revealed the Chrysler Airflow Concept SUV at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. This all-electric crossover is Stellantis’ first forray into electrification and shows what the automaker’s vision will be as it relates to EVs.
“The Chrysler Airflow Concept represents the start of the brand’s journey toward a fully electrified future,” said Ralph Gilles, chief design officer for Stellantis, during the reveal at CES. It is the result of a thoughtful synthesis of the full arsenal of Stellantis’ connected vehicle technology – inside and out.”
Though this is technically a concept vehicle, it is expected to be part of the 2025 model year as Stellantis vows a full electric lineup for the Chrysler brand by the year 2028. Let’s look at some of the other things of note on the Chrysler Airflow Concept SUV.
The Airflow will utilize two 150 kW electric drive motors (EDMs) — one in the front and one in the rear to offer all-wheel drive (AWD). This SUV is built on Stellantis’ STLA AutoDrive platform which will allow for Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities and Level 3 fast charging. Over-the-air (OTA) updates are an integral part of the STLA AutoDrive platform.
Stellantis proclaims that the Airflow should have a range of 350-400 miles.
Stellantis calls its AI system STLA Brain and STLA SmartCockpit, which is a connected hub that brings a consumer’s digital lifestyle into the vehicle, using advanced technology to create a customized space for each occupant. According to Stellantis: “The STLA SmartCockpit, demonstrated in the Airflow Concept and built on top of STLA Brain architecture, seamlessly integrates with the digital lives of vehicle occupants to deliver AI-based applications, such as navigation, voice assistance, e-commerce marketplace and payment services.”
This is all part of a trend in today’s vehicles (and certainly future vehicles) of offering connected vehicles and personalized streaming-like subscription services for things you want inside a vehicle. These will all come via OTA software updates.
The Airflow is a peek into what that future will look like in this regard.
The Chrysler Airflow Concept announces its electric aesthetic with the Chrysler Wing logo tied into a cross-car grille/light blade illuminated with crystal LED lighting. (Image courtesy of Stellantis North America)
Airflow announces its electric aesthetic with the Chrysler wing logo tied into a cross-car grille/light blade illuminated with crystal LED lighting. A crystal LED taillight runs the full width of the vehicle, accentuating the wide stance.
“Crystal LED” sounds futuristic, and judging by the photos of the Airflow the lighting looks tremendous — especially in conjunction with the Chrysler logo. The Airflow’s grille is also attractive without looking too futuristic as some EVs tend to be.
The first things you’ll notice on the Airflow Concept are the 22-inch wheels and tires. On a crossover this gives it a strong posture and almost aggressive stance. The long wheelbase and wide track is intentional. Celestial Blue accent color cladding is a design element is intended to give it a dramatic look on the confident, wider stance.
The interior of this concept vehicle is like nothing Chrysler has developed before, but also you can see hints of what Stellantis has recently done successfully in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. An elegant, modern, high-quality refined interior is what was showcased during the CES reveal of the Airflow.
Some of the interior elements to get excited about include:
I love concept vehicles. But then I’m often annoyed when cool features (like the ones mentioned above) don’t make it into the final production model. It’s undetermined what will make the cut when this all-electric SUV comes out. We’re hoping it will hold up to what was revealed at CES because it looks cool.
Kudos to Stellantis for putting the Chrysler name and logo on it, and many people may not be aware, but the Airflow name is a rehash from a cool vehicle it made in the 1930s. That first Chrysler Airflow was pretty cutting edge for its time, and this new Airflow Concept seems to be equally cutting edge.
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