Stellantis' Chrysler brand is a famous American car company and one of the three major car companies in the United States. At the CES 2022 conference, Chrysler announced that it will only sell electric vehicles by 2028.
To underscore this huge shift, the company showcased its latest electric concept car, the Airflow crossover SUV, which looks similar to the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell said that despite its brand lagging behind, the concept car shows the "future direction" of the nearly 100-year-old car company. While the vehicle unveiled at CES is just a concept, it looks very close to production readiness. Chrysler said its first electric car will begin production in 2025.
With two 150kW motors, one for each shaft, the Airflow Concept is all-wheel drive. Chrysler said that in the future, the powertrain can be adjusted to accommodate more powerful motors. The company didn't provide details about the battery size or energy capacity, but did estimate that it could travel 350-400 miles per charge.
Airflow will be equipped with Stellantis' "STLA AutoDrive" Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which enables Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities and over-the-air software updates.
In terms of appearance, the Airflow front grille features the glowing Chrysler Wing logo and the vehicle has full-width light strips at the front and rear of the vehicle — both of which are common features of most modern electric vehicles. Much like the modern IONIQ 5, Airflow will have a longer wheelbase and large 22-inch tires to provide a lower overhang riding style.
Inside, the vehicle is equipped with screens: four in the front row and two for the rear passengers. The large central infotainment screen is flanked by smaller screens for drivers and passengers. The dashboard screen is some distance from the steering wheel and closer to the windshield than the dashboard, making it look almost like a heads-up display. Additional screens are located below the main infotainment screen for functions such as HVAC control and seat adjustments. There are two screens on the seat back for rear passengers.
Chrysler said the user interface will be defined by "personalization," allowing drivers to connect to their "digital lives" through car screens. It's unclear exactly what this means, but we can assume that Airflow will be equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The demand is clear that when Chrysler finally produces its own electric car in 2025, it will find electric vehicles everywhere in the market, as most competitors move faster to electrify their product lines. Compared to its main competitors, all of Stellantis' brands have been slow to adopt eviction technology. Dodge plans to release an all-electric muscle car in 2024, while Jeep said electric versions of the Wrangler, Cherokee and Wagner will be available by 2025, among other models.
Now that Chrysler plans to disclose its full battery-electric lineup, it will face supply chain woes and new headwinds in the absence of robust charging infrastructure. Its competitors are very strong.